Asura's Transmigrant
by Asura's Transmigrant
Summary: Hashirama dies, but is still in the underworld with an unresolved feud with Indra. He reincarnates, determined to settle this once and for all. This gives rise to Uzumaki Naruto, Asura's Transmigrant. Strong!Naruto Six Paths/Mokuton/Sensor Naruto NarutoxFemSasuke
1. Prologue

Asura's Transmigrant

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

Author's Notes: To the people who already follow this story, this chapter is a rewrite following a review which had some good advice.

Chapter 1: Prologue

Senju Clan Compound

Torches set on the walls cast a flickering light on the bedroom, illuminating the bed on which the Shodai Hokage lay. The glow emanated by the flames mimicked that of Hashirama's life and weakened as the night went on.

In his last days, a sudden illness had caught him. All his life, the First had relied on his cells' ability to divide beyond the Hayflick limit in order to regenerate quickly. His healing factor came at a cost however; his lifespan was shortened, though in his youth, a time of constant strife and violence, this seemed trivial.

Besides, he had already done all that he had set out to do, and a man as great as he did not see the necessity in living longer for he was assured that his Will of Fire had been passed on safely, entrusted to the capable hands of his brother.

"It's almost time… Mito," said Hashirama. The red-haired woman sitting next to his bed placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. Her eyebrows were knitted with worry.

"You should rest, Hashirama," replied the Uzumaki. In spite of what she said, as a skilled sensor, she could feel her husband's life force slipping away, and no amount of resting would prevent death. He was right.

Cliche as it was, memories of his life flashed by his eyes. If there was anything memorable, it was surely his friendship and rivalry with Uchiha Madara.

There was no relationship quite like theirs; they were the closest of friends in their youth, and in adulthood, the fiercest of enemies. It was contradictory, yet it had still happened, almost as if it was predestined.

A nostalgic smirk formed on his lips. "Damn you, Madara… of all the things I'm thinking about before I leave this place."

The last rays of light reached his eyes, and the torches on the walls went out, flames extinguished like that of Hashirama's life. Mito placed a hand on his head and closed his eyelids as a mark of respect for the deceased.

A grand funeral would be held.

Yomotsu Hirasaka

The dead Hokage opened his eyes, realising that he was on the road to Yomi. The region was cloaked in darkness and it was every bit as miserable as he had imagined it to be.

"Time to atone for my sins."

Up ahead was the First Court of Hell, ruled by King Shinko. The complex was a structure which displayed the hallmarks of traditional Japanese architecture, with thick wooden pillars and a giant tiled roof.

The main doorway was huge as well, opening up into a large hall filled with demonic attendants and a titanic man caparisoned with the regalia of a Death God.

"Senju Hashirama," the King bellowed. The Hokage knelt down to the Shinigami on the marble floor - something that was distinctly different from the rest of the otherwise purist design of the court.

"Hai, Shinko-sama."

The King's brows furrowed. "You are a special case... You were the transmigrant of Ōtsutsuki Asura, a good man with an unresolved feud with his brother, Indra. Indra was reincarnated into Uchiha Madara, who still lives at this very moment with both the chakra of Indra and Asura as he had managed to obtain your DNA. This will grant him the Rinnegan, but he won't last long either."

"I see," Hashirama replied evenly. Years of being the leader of Konohagakure allowed him to contain the shock of learning this, as with every piece of bad news he had received during his tenure.

On hindsight, Madara's dōjutsu (visual prowess) had been extremely powerful, and the Senju was not foolish enough to think that it was beyond his capabilities to survive their death match using one of the many kinjutsu (forbidden techniques) in his clan's arsenal. He had heard of one called the Izanagi; it was one of those jutsu you never wanted even your weakest foe to possess, for it made them nigh invincible.

"You shall now be checked for your sins and good deeds. Step before the Mirror of Retribution," King Shinko ordered, snapping him out of his thoughts.

The soul of the Shodai went in front of the mirror, which began reflecting his past life - as a shinobi he had killed and injured many, but was a great and honourable man as well as a venerable leader.

"Well then, your good deeds outweigh your crimes of killing. However, you won't cross the Silver Bridge to Tengoku (Paradise). You have unfinished business and will be sent to King Tenrin of the Tenth Court for reincarnation. Go," the Shinigami commanded.

Hashirama, or Asura, stepped away from the mirror with understanding. He now knew his purpose in life, and was determined to resolve this feud with Indra in the next life, whoever he may be.

Tenth Court of Hell

King Tenrin received Hashirama at his court. The King said, "I shall now send you off for reincarnation. But before that…"

Another deity appeared before him; it was Granny Men. She passed him a cup of tea which he gladly consumed.

"This tea will take effect immediately after transmigration, you will forget everything in your past life," the King informed him calmly, "Do not be afraid. Asura's chakra shall cling to your next life and if it so happens, may awaken. And now, follow me."

The King strolled to a wooden wheel which had six sectors. Each was intricately carved with a particular design - one was of a Deva, or godlike being, the next was of an Asura, a powerful armoured demon, the third was of a human; the fourth depicted an animal while the fifth showed a Preta, or hungry ghost, and the last and the least - being the lowest of all realms of existence - showed Naraka, the Path Of Hell.

King Tenrin placed his hand atop the wheel of destiny and spun it, but before it even stopped Hashirama already knew what he was fated to be in his next life, for there was only one path which allowed for such pleasure and suffering, yet rationality in spite of it all.

The wooden wheel slowed down, then ground to a halt at the Ningendō (Human Path) sector. As a shimmer of light enveloped him, the Shinigami smiled.

"Ja ne."

Author's Notes:

I'm aware that Chapter 1 is short, but trust me when I say that the future chapters will be longer (I'm writing this in retrospect). Please review to let me know what you think of this story!

Until tomorrow,

Ja Ne


	2. Humble Beginnings

Asura's Transmigrant

Author's Notes:  
As seen from the poll, female Sasuke will be Naruto's soul mate. How fitting, if you see what I mean.

Chapter 2: Humble Beginnings

Previously:  
And thus began the life of Uzumaki Naruto, in the small village of Konohagakure no Sato.

After the Kyuubi attack, the Sandaime Hokage was reinstated as there was currently no suitable candidate.

Hiruzen took it upon himself to take care of his successor's son, but his duties limited him from doing so extensively.

As such, Naruto was sent to the orphanage with his parentage kept secret; it was done in order to keep his father's enemies at bay.

However, this had an adverse effect as the village's citizens held immense hatred for the Kyuubi because it claimed the lives of many loved ones. Since they couldn't kill it, they did the next best thing and ostracised its jinchuuriki.

By the age of six, he was kicked out of the orphanage and was given a small apartment by the Sandaime, who visited him regularly to ensure things were running smoothly.

This meant that he had to survive on his own, with only the clothes on his back provided by the Hokage and food that he could buy. Anything else was unaffordable for he had very little allowance.

Whenever the villagers saw him on the streets, they spat at the clueless toddler. Venomous words filled their mouths and even merchants and vendors refused to sell things to him.

Those that did sold it at exorbitant prices, and they sneered when the young child realised he could not afford any of it. They then kicked him out of the store, stating that demons were not welcome.

It got so serious that the Sandaime took notice, and passed a law to prevent the people from calling him a demon on pain of death. The aim was also for Naruto to be kept unaware of his "tenant", lest he was really led to think that he was a demon.

Hiruzen even sent a personal team of ANBU to watch the boy 24/7 in case the villagers gained any thoughts of injuring the innocent child.

Alas, since they could not openly attack him, verbally or physically, the villagers then did the worst thing imaginable; they deprived him of friends by telling their children to stay from "that child", effectively isolating him.

The poor, lonely boy was only accepted by one store - Ichiraku Ramen. It was a simple ramen stand run by a fifty-year old man named Teuchi and his young daughter, Ayame.

Whenever the rains were too heavy or the nights too cold, Naruto sought refuge at the stand, the only establishment that would not turn him away.

There, he was treated to a nice, warm bowl of ramen while the friendly waitress talked to Naruto as if he was her younger brother.

This led to Naruto calling her "Ayame-neechan", not that she minded as she knew that the boy was desperate for familial love. He had no family or friends and that was really something that she found sad.

And so, they continued to provide such a service for all the years in Naruto's childhood, until he was old enough to be independent.

On the same year he was kicked out of the orphanage, Naruto began to train to enter the Academy. At first it was just running around the village, but as time passed, it evolved to push-ups, sit-ups, handstands and shuriken throwing. Every day, the amount of repetitions increased till he was dead beat. But even as he collapsed on the concrete, he ended every day with a smile knowing that he had spent it well improving.

After countless applications and bugging his grandfather figure, the Sandaime, he was finally allowed to enter the Academy at age nine - a year earlier than his peers entered the school.

Even then, his teachers were ruthless, withholding teaching materials and even kicking him out of the class for the slightest reason.

The boy never knew why, all this while, and ended up failing the two-year course. Where he was supposed to graduate at eleven, he failed the final exam and had to retake the year's course.

By then, his peers of the same age just finished their first year, so he had to take his final year together with them.

Fortunately, he had a nice teacher this year - the instructor's name was Umino Iruka. Although he saw Naruto as a nuisance in class due to all the pranks he pulled and disruptions he caused, the chunin understood that Naruto was seeking attention because of his sad childhood.

Because of that, he decided to treat him better than the other teachers did and taught him properly, only telling him off lightly when absolutely needed. He eventually became a surrogate brother to the young blond, even occasionally treating him to ramen after class.

Iruka strongly instilled the Will Of Fire in him, influencing Naruto to want to be Hokage. Oh, what an irony, for in his past life, he was the one who created the Will Of Fire that would be passed down for many generations to come.

At the end of it, Naruto was still a happy boy. However… he was treated as the dead last in class because he could not graduate the previous year.

The reason was simply this: Naruto could not perform the Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Jutsu), one of the three basic Academy techniques that every student was required to execute in order to graduate as a genin.

For that, he was deemed as a failure. But no one realised that it was because he had too much chakra to control properly, a result of what he was holding in his body.

Naruto wasn't very concerned about that and instead, chose to focus on the rest of the shinobi arts such as taijutsu (body technique) and fuinjutsu - the two arts which didn't require much chakra control.

Many of his classmates thought him to be a loser, except a select few - Aburame Shino, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji and Hyuga Hinata. They were all the children of their clan's clan heads, as were most of the others in the class.

Uchiha Sayuri was top of the class; she was the daughter of the Konoha Military Police Force chief, Uchiha Fugaku. However, due to an incident where her brother, Uchiha Itachi, massacred the entire clan, Sayuri was an emo princess, hellbent on revenge to restore her clan's reputation. Naruto disliked her because she always looked down on him, calling him "dobe (dead last)" or "usuratonkachi (loser)".

Haruno Sakura was born from a civilian family; she had no skills whatsoever, except for being book smart. She was Sayuri's fangirl and hated Naruto with a passion, believing him to be useless as well. Naruto disliked Sakura, or any of Sayuri's fangirls for that matter.

Inuzuka Kiba was the son of the Inuzuka clan head, Inuzuka Tsume. He was loud and brash, as well as impulsive. However, he had skills went it came to taijutsu, as well as being proficient in his clan's ninjutsu (ninja technique). His companion was Akamaru, a ninken (ninja dog) which was what everybody in his clan possessed. Apart from some minor arguments, Naruto got along well with the Inuzuka and he considered the blond to be a rival. Yes, he still looked down on him but it was all in the name of rivalry.

Aburame Shino, son of Aburame Shibi, the Aburame clan head, was a stoic individual. He was quite capable in taijutsu and specialised mainly in clan's techniques, which involved using insects in their bodies (don't ask why or how). Shino was intelligent and calm, something which Naruto respected but he found him too quiet to outright befriend him.

Hyuga Hinata, daughter of the Hyuga clan head, Hyuga Hiashi, was a very shy and meek kunoichi. As a result, she had low self-confidence in her abilities and frequently stuttered in her speech. This worsened when Naruto was in the vicinity as she held affections for the blond boy. Naruto, being dense to the opposite sex's feelings, treated her as a good friend. Her speciality was her clan's Juken (Gentle Fist), a taijutsu style which utilised the Hyuga's kekkei genkai (bloodline limit), the Byakugan which allowed the user to see through most things as well as a person's chakra pathway system.

Nara Shikamaru, son of Nara Shikaku, the Nara clan head, was a super intelligent but lazy person. He called everything a drag, choosing to sleep in class. However when it came down to it, his brains allowed him to easily outmanoeuvre opponents through strategies that predicted many possibilities hundred steps ahead. As such, he aced written tests with ease and easily beat down opponents (albeit only those whom he were forced to fight). His skills lay mainly in his clan's ninjutsu, which allowed him to manipulate shadows. Naruto got along with him just fine.

Akimichi Choji, son of the Akimichi clan head Choza, was… round. He adored eating food and his clan's techniques involved converting calories into chakra which granted them super strength and expansion. Naruto found his eating habits slightly repulsive but as he was nice to him, he returned the feelings.

Yamanaka Ino, daughter of Inoichi, the Yamanaka clan head, was another of Sayuri's fangirls. She was poor at taijutsu and only had one jutsu in her arsenal - her clan's Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind Body Switch Jutsu). She disliked Naruto as well, finding him annoying because of the disruptions in class. As with Sakura, Naruto could not get along with Ino.

Regardless, it was soon time to graduate as the year passed by quickly. Once again, the Genin Exams were held, and the passing criteria was the ability to perform the Academy Three: the Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Jutsu), Kawarimi no Jutsu (Substitution Jutsu) and the hated Bunshin no Jutsu.

It was a bright afternoon, and most of the Academy students were well-prepared for the test. "Uzumaki Naruto!" an instructor called.

The blond stood up glumly and entered the examination room, where two other chunins, Iruka and Mizuki, were invigilators.

Iruka smiled at him. "Naruto, show us the Henge," requested the kind sensei.

The Uzumaki nodded and formed the Ram hand seal. Picturing his idol, he called, "Henge!" Chakra flowed around him and smoke filled the air. When it cleared, it revealed the Yondaime Hokage.

"Good job," Iruka praised, noting it down. Now that he thought about it, Naruto did have an uncanny resemblance to the Fourth.

Mizuki ordered, "Execute the Kawarimi no Jutsu."

Naruto, without hand seals, swapped with a chair nearby. "Impressive," Mizuki stated, giving him the point as well as extra credit for doing it without hand seals.

Iruka gave the biggest challenge, "Perform the Bunshin no Jutsu, Naruto." The blond gained a determined look on his face, for he was not going to fail this time.

"Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted. In a plume of smoke, a clone appeared beside him. Specifically, on the floor and sickly pale.

Iruka shook his head, sighing sadly. "I'm sorry, Naruto. You have failed this jutsu and will have to retain again."

Mizuki reasoned, "Let's not do that, Iruka-san. He did try his best, and even made a clone, albeit non-functioning."

"Look, I can't pass him if he can't complete a basic technique such as the Clone Jutsu. Others made perfect, functioning clones so why should we have double standards? I'm afraid he has failed again and will need to be sent back to the Academy. Naruto, you are dismissed."

Naruto's shoulders slumped sadly as he walked out of the room, downtrodden. He sat on the swing in front of the Academy, feeling like shit.

This was a stark contrast to the huge crowd of genins in front of the Academy entrance, celebrating their graduation. Proud parents congratulating their children… something Naruto envied a lot for he did not even have family.

Behind him, he sensed the presence of Mizuki. "Naruto, don't be so sad. I have another way for you to pass. Are you interested?"

He perked up immediately. "What is it, sensei?"

"Well… it's a secret assignment for genins, so you must not let anyone else know, ok?"

Naruto nodded enthusiastically.

Mizuki whispered, "You must steal the forbidden Fuin no Sho (Scroll Of Sealing) from the Hokage Residence and meet me at the northern forests by 7 this evening. Alright?"

Naruto agreed and went back home to rest while preparing for the mini task.

Northern Forests, 6:50p.m.

Naruto broke into the forest line and panted hard. He had successfully stolen the scroll but was pretty sure multiple shinobi were on his tail. Perhaps that was part of the test?

Realising he still had around ten minutes, Naruto decided to open the scroll and learn some moves. The first he came across was a technique invented by the Nidaime Hokage.

It was the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Jutsu), a B-rank technique which creates corporeal clones with a single hand seal. The user's chakra is evenly distributed among every clone, giving each clone an equal fraction of the user's overall power. The clones are capable of performing techniques on their own and can even bleed, but will usually disperse after hit by a strong enough force. The clones can also disperse on their own or be dispelled by the user of the technique.

A characteristic that is unique to the Shadow Clone Jutsu is that any experience the clones gain during their existence is transferred to the user once they are dispersed. Similarly, because they are clones of the original, any chakra that the clone possesses will return to the original after being dispelled.

"This is an interesting technique, looks pretty easy too!" thought Naruto happily. He practised forming the hand seal and memorised the jutsu.

He was about to move on to the next jutsu when he sensed a presence thirty metres away. "It's Iruka-sensei," Naruto thought, unknowingly recognising his chakra signature.

He sealed the scroll and waited patiently. Ten seconds, Iruka appeared. "It's over, Naruto. Return the scroll," the chunin stated.

"You got me, Iruka-sensei," Naruto replied cheerfully, "Do I pass now?"

"What do you mean? What makes you think you will pass once you steal the scroll?" Iruka demanded, getting slightly annoyed.

"Well, Mizuki-sensei said so… Oh, he's here!" Naruto informed, detecting the other chunin's presence. There he was, standing on the branch of a tree with two fuma shuriken strapped to his back.

"Naruto, give me the scroll!" Mizuki ordered.

It was at this moment that Iruka realised, Mizuki had used Naruto to get the Scroll Of Sealing. "Naruto, don't listen to Mizuki. He's a traitor that just used you to get the scroll!" Iruka warned.

Naruto was conflicted, his gaze switching between both instructors. "Iruka is just lying to you because he doesn't want you to have the scroll," Mizuki stated, "In fact, they've been lying to you all this while. Since that decree nine years ago… everyone knows except you."

Iruka's eyes widened, knowing that he was about to reveal Naruto's jinchuuriki status. "Mizuki, stop!"

The chunin sneered, "The decree is that no one can tell you that the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox is inside you. The fox spirit that destroyed this village twelve years ago has taken over you. Naruto, you are the Kyuubi no Yoko."

With such a revelation, understanding dawned on the young boy. Now he knew why, why they stared at him as they did. His body was frozen, filled with so much hatred. He could feel something within surfacing.

Mizuki smirked and grabbed multiple projectiles, launching them at Naruto. "Die, demon!"

Iruka instantly pushed the blond away, taking the kunais and shurikens for his favourite student. He was pinned against the wall, bleeding badly.

Naruto watched on in helpless horror. "Iruka-sensei-"

"Naruto, just run!" Iruka urged. There was no way he was going to let the scroll fall into traitorous hands.

Mizuki, however, picked one fuma shuriken off his back and threw it at Naruto, sure that there was no longer anybody to save him. The last thing the Uzumaki saw was a bright flash of light.

Mindscape, Time Freeze

When Naruto opened his eyes, he realised that he was in a basement of some sort, and guessing from the pipes, it was an industrial plant.

The floor was flooded with water up to ankle-length. There were many doorways, however Naruto heard a low growling sound coming from one of them.

It was the sound of an animal; in suffering but refusing to give way for its pride. Naruto traced the source and came to huge room where in the centre, a giant gate stood.

On the centre of the gate, a parchment of paper had the kanji for "Seal". When he neared it, the sound of growling transformed into a malicious laughter.

It became clear then that it wasn't a gate; rather, it was a cage. In the darkness behind the thick, vertical bars of the cage, a single red eye opened.

The creature within stepped forward, revealing itself to be a giant orange fox. Naruto stepped back in slight fear, for he recognised the beast.

"You're… you're the Kyuubi!" Naruto said. The fox replied, "Indeed, I am. And you're Uzumaki Naruto, the fleshbag who should be dead. My jailor finally comes to visit after twelve years, huh?"

"Now, now," came a third voice, almost chiding, "Kurama-kun, do you have to be so rude?"

"My patience wears thin, Asura-san," the now named Kurama replied, "Say what you have to say."

A young man from within the cage stepped through the bars and shook Naruto's hands. "Hello, child. I take it you won't know me for I existed at the era when chakra was discovered. In fact, the first human born with chakra was my father."

Naruto racked his brains on the legends of chakra, before finally saying, "Your father was the Rikudo Sennin (Sage Of Six Paths)?"

The man nodded. "That's right. My name is Otsutsuki Asura, and I am your ancestor from long ago. And you, Uzumaki Naruto, are my transmigrant."

"Trans- what?" Naruto attempted to repeat.

"Transmigrant. Basically it means that when my mortal body died, my chakra was reborn in a new vessel. That would be you, Naruto-kun. But, you are not my first transmigrant. In your past life, you were the Shodai Hokage, Senju Hashirama."

"So… does that mean that I'm you, and you're me?" Naruto asked, slightly confused.

The young man chuckled. "I guess you could say that. Alright, down to business, so listen carefully. My brother, Indra, also reincarnated. He was Uchiha Madara before his current life."

Kurama growled in anger at the accursed name, that bastard who used the Sharingan to control him.

"Who is he now?" Naruto asked.

"Your classmate, Uchiha Sayuri," Asura responded, "The main point is that my brother and I have a huge, unresolved feud. He believed that power was the way to peace, while I believed that love was the way to peace. This conflict of beliefs would've been trivial had my father not decided to let me be his successor. My inheritance was my father's body, and so I passed that down to my descendents: the Senju, renowned for their amazing healing factor, as well as the Uzumaki, who were known for their extremely potent chakra and life force, and thus longevity. My ideals were passed down as the present-day Hi no Ishi (Will Of Fire)."

"My brother, on the other hand, inherited my father's eyes. Though not exactly the Rinnegan, his eyes were still powerful and mutated over the generations to what is now known as the Sharingan, wielded by his descendents the Uchiha. His beliefs were passed down as the Uchiha clan's Nikushimi no Noroi (Curse Of Hatred), which fed on a clansman's hatred to awaken the power of their eyes," Asura explained.

"So you see, you must vanquish this curse from the Uchiha clan and bring this feud to an end once and for all. I believe with your Will Of Fire, you can overcome Sayuri's curse and make peace between the two of us," Asura stated.

"But how? I'm so weak," Naruto asked.

Asura's facial features became sterner than before. "Listen, Naruto-kun, you are not weak. You are merely like me, a late bloomer. You have waited patiently long enough and trained hard enough, so now you will reap your rewards."

"You will awaken my inheritance - the Rikudo Sennin's body. Your chakra will be more powerful than before and will be extremely large in volume. This will come to fruition when you reach the prime of your life, around 25. For now, your chakra pool is four times the size of a standard jonin."

Next, your speed and strength will increase tenfold. The effect is instantaneous, not requiring you to wait. The last and greatest gift of this inheritance is that your body is now that of a sennin (sage), so you are able to handle natural energy without turning to stone," Asura said.

"As such, you'll be able to use Rikudo Sennin Modo (Six Paths Sage Mode), a state in which your other gifts will be amplified tremendously. You'll be able to fly, manipulate all five elements as well as onmyōton (Yin-Yang style) and most important of all, use the Gudō Dama (Truth-Seeking Ball), an indispensable tool made from seven elements."

"Every three years, you can manifest one Gudō Dama. Since you are twelve, that means you have four orbs to control. They nullify ninjutsu by using onmyōton, can be shaped into a variety of forms, and the many natures comprising them can be combined to produce various effects. As the chakra comprising them is highly durable, the balls can serve as an effective defence, only taking damage from extremely powerful techniques. They can also heal you in dire times," Asura explained.

Naruto scratched his head, not entirely understanding the concepts but he got the main idea.

"Remember, you can only use all these in Six Paths Sage Mode. Now go, you have a sensei to save and a traitor to defeat," Asura commanded, a smile on his face.

Northern Forests, Time Continue

A bright light enveloped Naruto as the huge fuma shuriken shot towards him. "Naruto!" Iruka cried out. Suddenly, a black shield-like thing wrapped around the Uzumaki's front. The fuma shuriken slammed into it and snapped into half.

Mizuki's eyes widened. "What the hell was that?" he thought. Naruto was now glowing as he was wearing a yellow cloak of some sort, which appeared to be made of chakra.

Naruto growled, retracting the black shield into four smaller black orbs each with a purplish glow. "If you ever touch my sensei again… I'll kill you!"

Mizuki had the nerve to smirk despite what had just transpired. "You'll never defeat me, demon! I can get you in one punch!"

The four black orbs revolving around Naruto flew towards Mizuki and surrounded him. They then expanded rapidly, causing a bright white light to flash out as they exploded.

When the smoke cleared, a unconscious Mizuki was lying on the floor. The orbs returned to their positions behind their master.

"Iruka-sensei!" he cried, turning around. The man was quite badly injured, with multiple weapons sticking out of his body.

His chakra cloak dissipated as he attended to his sensei. "Thanks, Naruto… this time, you pass," Iruka commended.

"Eh? I pass?" Naruto asked in surprise.

"Yes. After I get myself patched up, how about a bowl of ramen? After all, you did save our lives," Iruka suggested.

"Make that ten bowls, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto agreed happily. "I foresee a hole in my pocket," Iruka joked, before getting up slowly and calling for help.

Soon, an ANBU team arrived and took Mizuki into custody while seeing to Iruka's wounds. Naruto, on the other hand, was asked to report to the Hokage's Office.

Hokage's Office

The aged Hokage looked up when he noticed that Naruto had entered his office. "Ah, Naruto-kun. I have called you here for you to explain that bright light and… chakra cloak, I believe is the appropriate term," Hiruzen requested.

"Hokage-jiji, I would explain but I need all your ANBU to leave the room for it is a matter of extreme secrecy," Naruto replied.

The Hokage was slightly shocked that Naruto had detected his agents' presence within the room. So he was a kanchi-type (sensor-type) and appeared to be quite skilled at it too.

He called his ANBU off and activated the privacy seals. "So," the Sandaime Hokage said, "What is it that requires such secrecy?"

Naruto explained everything he learnt from Asura.

"Well, that is baffling yet interesting news, Naruto-kun. Please go home and rest well, tomorrow you'll have your team assignments," advised Hiruzen, "And by the way, here's your headband. Congratulations."

Naruto took it and dismissed himself from the office.

"If that is really so, I should put Sayuri together with Naruto on a team," the Sarutobi thought, "And who better to lead it than Hatake Kakashi? He could teach skills of the Sharingan and would surely not want to miss out on training his sensei's son. I just hope he won't fail them."

Naruto's Apartment

The blond stepped into his tiny home, greeted by the colourful language vandalised all over his front walls.

He sat on his bed, just wondering what the hell had just happened. So it seemed, he had unlocked some crazy ass powers that he could barely comprehend.

"You still don't understand?" came Asura's voice, startling him. "Let me give you a theory lesson on the elements, specifically onmyōton to help you understand the mechanics of the Gudō Dama," Asura introduced, entering professor mode.

"Onmyōton is a combination of inton (Yin style) and yōton (Yang style). Simple?"

Naruto nodded.

"Inton chakra gives form to objects. It is in every thing that requires creation, such as genjutsu or the Nara clan's shadow techniques. All of them apply inton chakra to create stuff out of nothing. Understood?"

Again, Naruto nodded.

"Yōton chakra gives life to inanimate objects. It is in every living thing, and is used in iryō ninjutsu (medical ninja techniques) to speed up the regeneration of cells and by extension, the healing process. Okay?"

Naruto nodded. This step-by-step style was interesting and made it easier to understand Asura's teaching. "When the two are combined into onmyōton, it is possible to create anything. With inton chakra creating form and yōton chakra breathing life into it, the possibilities are endless. That's why my father had a jutsu, the Onmyōton: Bunbutsu Sōzō (Yin-Yang Style: Creation Of All Things) which allowed the user to basically construct anything. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Now, this is where the Gudō Dama comes in. By combining the shape and life of the orbs with the five elements simultaneously, it creates an extremely durable black orb with a life of its own. By manipulating the inton chakra in the spheres, you can change their shape. Tweaking the yōton chakra gives it life and allows you to control it telekinectically, as well as gives them the ability to heal you. Understand?"

Naruto nodded for the final time. Asura sighed in relief. "Thank Kami, now you understand!"

The Uzumaki sweatdropped, was he really that bad? Well, he was a kinesthetic learner, so he learned by practising it. And that was exactly what he did for the rest of the evening.

The Next Day

Naruto ran to the Academy with his newfound speed and made it in time.

The blond looked around and went to the only spot available - next to Sayuri. "Dobe," she said, "What are you doing here?"

"Tch. I graduated, teme," Naruto replied, squatting on the table while glaring at her. "Why? Is there a problem?"

"Unbelievable. There's no way you could've passed, usuratonkachi," Sayuri remarked, staring at him defiantly.

From behind, Kiba sneakily pushed Naruto forward. The blond fell forward, his lips smashing into Sayuri's.

Naruto was disgusted, yet her lips felt so… soft. The feeling was inexplicable. Sayuri felt the same, for Naruto's lips were gentle and just so… ugh, she hated to admit it, but it felt nice.

Both faces turned scarlet with embarrassment, before they recovered and split up. Naruto wiped his lips thoroughly, feeling slightly sick.

The Uzumaki glared at the snickering Kiba. Within three seconds, he appeared behind the Inuzuka and had him in a hammerlock.

"Mutt boy, you'll pay for this," Naruto threatened. Kiba winced in pain, but still managed to reply snarkily, "Ok, I'm sorry, but you gotta admit, you two looked like you were enjoying it."

The last Uchiha glowered at the Inuzuka. If looks could kill (and they could in her clan), Kiba would've had his ass incinerated in the flames of hell.

"Ok, stop talking!" declared Iruka as he entered the room. Naruto released the boy onto the floor and returned to his seat.

After the customary greeting, Iruka announced, "After four years, you have finally completed the Academy course. Good job!"

Applause resounded in the classroom.

"Well, I'm sad to see you all go, but some of y'all will still be seeing each other, and on a regular basis, in fact. I shall now announce the three teams."

"Starting from Team 7 since the other six are still in circulation, we have Uchiha Sayuri, Haruno Sakura-"

Sayuri facepalmed while Sakura cheered.

"-and Uzumaki Naruto."

All three members' faces planted on their tables.

"Your sensei is Hatake Kakashi. Team 8: Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino and Hyuga Hinata, your sensei is Yuhi Kurenai."

Kiba gave a loud "yahoo" while Akamaru barked in approval.

"Team 9 is still in circulation, so Team 10: Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji and Yamanaka Ino. Your sensei is Sarutobi Asuma."

Shikamaru groaned at having to team up with Ino, who was quote "a troublesome blond" unquote.

Iruka smiled. "Well, that concludes your team assignment. Please wait here for your senseis to pick you up. Good luck on your shinobi career, and till we meet again! Ja ne."

Author's Notes:  
So, how was that? Added a tiny bit of a start towards their relationship but it will take quite a while for our cold, brooding Uchiha to warm up to our sweet blond! Hope you enjoyed it and stay tuned for the next chapter. I know this chapter is a bit boring but there'll be some action next chapter so do look forward to it! Review!

Until tomorrow,  
Ja Ne 


	3. Stealing Bells

Asura's Transmigrant

Author's Notes: To address common misconceptions, Sakura and Ino aren't lesbians, they are just fangirls who treat Sayuri as an idol like a k-pop star and her fans. Being a fangirl does not necessarily require romantic attraction to the idolised subject. Secondly, it has been stated that a Gudō Dama can obliterate anything it touches, but I decided that it would be too OP so I left it out of this one. Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Stealing Bells

Previously:  
"Good luck on your shinobi career, and till we meet again! Ja ne."

After Iruka left the room, two jonin entered it, introducing themselves as Kurenai and Asuma. Taking their respective teams, they left.

Naruto was left with the two irate girls in the classroom, which got worst as their sensei was late. By the first hour, Sayuri was already thinking of roasting this "Kakashi" with one of her fireballs.

Sakura looked ready to scream at somebody, and it was going to be Naruto if Kakashi wasn't in sight in the next three minutes.

"Oi, where is Kakashi-sensei?!" Sakura yelled out in frustration. Naruto shrugged. "How would I know, I'm just as irritated as you are."

Sayuri clicked her tongue in impatience. It was a surprising habit, but something Naruto found interesting.

By the second hour, they were pissed off. "Where the hell is this dude?" Naruto wondered in thought. Rarely was he this angry at someone, but to be stood up for two freaking hours?

Sayuri was at her rope's end. "You know what, why don't we go out as a team for lunch. Our sensei made us wait and so we will make him wait," Naruto offered.

Sayuri was quick to accept, willing to get the hell out of that classroom as quickly as possible. Sakura, ever the fangirl, followed her idol's decision.

The trio left the room and to Naruto's favourite ramen stand.

Ichiraku Ramen

"Oji-san, the usual please!" called Naruto cheerfully as he raised the flaps of the curtain and entered the stand.

"Ah, Naruto-kun! One bowl, coming right up!" Teuchi repeated the order, before signalling to his daughter. "What about your two friends?"

"What would you like, Sayuri, Sakura?" Naruto asked. Sayuri blinked, surprised that he didn't address her as "teme".

Glancing at the menu briefly, she replied, "A bowl of miso ramen with a slice of chashu please." Sakura spoke, "I'll have the same as Sayuri-san!"

Naruto was slightly shocked. Unknowingly, the Uchiha had ordered the same as he did. Looks like they did have similar tastes in ramen after all.

After three minutes, Ayame served Team 7. "Itadakimasu!" the three chorused, albeit softly in Sayuri's case, and broke their chopsticks.

They began digging into their food. "This is delicious!" Sakura praised cheerfully in stark contrast to her crappy mood in the classroom.

"I know, right?" Naruto asked rhetorically. "Thank you," Ayame replied to Sakura's complement. "And who's that, your girlfriend Naruto-kun?" Ayame teased in reference to Sayuri, who was silently enjoying her food.

At that moment, the two who were mentioned nearly choked on the strands in their mouths. "No way!" both denied simultaneously, one blushing and the other sputtering.

"See, you're so compatible!" teased Ayame further.

"No seriously, we're not," the two growled out in unison before continuing with their lunch. "Is that how you hide your bashfulness?" Ayame joked, before deciding to stop.

It was easy to see why she thought so, though. Sayuri was a pretty teenager, having inherited her mother's beauty. She had two bangs framing her pale-skinned face and a long ponytail.

The Uchiha was dressed in a short blue Mandarin gown which ran from her shoulders to her lower thighs, as well as a long left sleeve. It hugged her body and accentuated all her curves, which were present even at her current age. There were slits on both sides of the skirt from her hip down to enable mobility, though to preserve modesty, she wore mesh pants which ran to her knees and a black shirt underneath.

For unknown reasons, her right arm was bare, not covered by the gown or the shirt. The only part which was covered was her right forearm, which had a black armband. Wrapped around her waist was a black sash which had the Uchiha symbol. A pair of black boots finished her outfit… boy, did she love black. Must've matched her hair. Naruto, on the other hand, was wearing a black uniform-style jacket with an orange zipper that featured several buttons on the waist and sleeves. This allowed him to fold up the left sleeve and rear coattails, giving him easy access to the pouches on the back of his belt. He wore a red armband with the Uzumaki crest on his left arm.

This outfit was the Sandaime's gift for his previous birthday. As such, he treasured it, refusing to wear anything else - not like he could, considering the villagers' refusal to sell him garments.

If Naruto and Sayuri were to sit together, outsiders would think that they were a couple as their outfits were just very similar in many ways. However once they looked again they would notice that they were poles apart in personality.

While Naruto was friendly and cheery, Sayuri was permanently scowling (and when she didn't she smirked), her attitude cold and uncaring. This would've not been the case five years ago, but the Uchiha clan massacre had changed her in many ways. She was kind before, but now… all she did was glare. It was kind of sad, really, and it was something that Naruto wanted to change.

Flashback

Sayuri was out with her mother at the playground in Konoha's park. She had met a new friend at the park, it was a boy named Naruto.

"Naruto-kun, do you want to build a sandcastle with me?" the girl asked. "Sure!" the boy replied happily, for it was the first time he got to play with a friend.

Usually the parent would pull their child away upon finding out, however Uchiha Mikoto was a compassionate woman and was a friend of Kushina when she was alive. She was sad to see her friend's son all alone and by a stroke of luck, they met him at the park.

Her husband Fugaku would disapprove but she still let her daughter befriend the jinchuuriki anyway as he wasn't present. Naruto began helping Sayuri build the sandcastle, making it a very elaborate sand construct.

When a bit of sand flew away due to a passing wind, the boy pouted as he had to rebuild one of the turrets. The Uchiha girl giggled, finding his expression cute.

"Sayuri-chan, I'll go get you some drinks, be back in five minutes! Don't misbehave!" Mikoto called, getting up from the bench.

Sayuri nodded obediently, busy enjoying her time with her new blond friend. "Yatta, it's finished!" Naruto cried happily, doing a sort of victory dance.

The young Uchiha girl burst out in peals of laughter at his antics. Naruto paused, for that laugh was the most melodious sound he had ever heard. He smiled, happy to see his friend so happy.

That smile would not last long for a group of three boys came into the playground. Seeing the sandcastle, they ran towards the sandpit and kicked it hard, destroying the children's masterpiece.

Sayuri teared up a bit, before crying miserably. The leader of the three boys sneered in contempt. "Crybaby," he taunted.

Naruto stood in front of the Uchiha protectively, intent on shielding his new friend from any threat. "Teme, take that back," he growled furiously.

"What did you say, gaki?" the leader mocked.

"I said. Take. It. Back," Naruto gritted out. By now, Sayuri was crying her heart out, not just for her destroyed work but for their lives which were now under "threat".

"Haha, I can crush with you a single fist. What makes you think you can make me take back my words?" the leader spoke, before swinging a fist at Naruto.

It was a clumsy punch, one that Naruto evaded easily. Weaving under his arm, Naruto slammed his fist into the boy's stomach with all his might.

The boy flew back into the arms of his two followers who caught him. Wincing, he cried out in excruciating pain, sure something inside had broken.

"You… you're that child!" the leader cried out in fear before scrambling away with his two friends.

Once they were gone, he turned around to check on Sayuri. "Sayuri-chan, it's ok… they're gone now. We can always build it again, ne?" Naruto said, hugging her and trying to console the girl.

Nodding, she wiped away her tears and managed a smile. "Uchihas are strong, and that means no crying," she told herself.

But before they could rebuild the sandcastle, Mikoto was back with the drinks and had to bring Sayuri home. Reluctantly, the two friends parted ways.

To this day, the Uchiha had never forgotten what Naruto had done for her. And unbeknownst to him, she harboured feelings for him but couldn't stop pushing him away to sever these bonds in the hope that when the inevitable occurred, she wouldn't hurt Naruto with her leave.

Present

Team 7 finished their lunch and left the stand after paying, then returned to their classroom where they waited for another half hour.

Finally, Kakashi arrived. "Yo, I'm your sensei-"

"KAKASHI-SENSEI, YOU'RE LATE!" Sakura screamed. Luckily, the other two saw this coming and plugged their ears beforehand.

Kakashi sweatdropped. "I got lost on the road of life. Meet me on the roof in two minutes tops." The jonin then disappeared in the classic Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Jutsu).

Academy Rooftop

Naruto was the first to arrive, followed shortly by Sayuri and lastly, Sakura. They all managed to arrive within the time frame, leading to their sensei praising, "Looks like you guys are in decent physical condition. Now let's begin by introducing ourselves." Sakura asked, "Why don't you show us, Kakashi-sensei?" The white-haired man gave an eye smile. That was because the bottom of his face was obscured by a mask, and his headband was slanted to cover his left eye such that only his right eye was visible.

Based on his eyebrow and right eye's expression, they could tell that he was smiling, though in what sense they did not know.

"My name is Hatake Kakashi. I like some things, dislike others, and my hobbies and dreams are none of your business," Team 7's sensei introduced.

"We don't know anything except your name," Naruto deadpanned. Again, the mysterious man that was their sensei eye smiled.

"You go first, pinkie," Kakashi urged. Sakura grumbled and started, "I'm Haruno Sakura. I like Sayuri-chan, dislike Naruto, perverts and late people (insert pointed look at Kakashi). My hobbies are playing trivia games and memorising new material for my studies. My dream is to befriend Sayuri and grow up to be a powerful kunoichi."

"Blondie, you're next."

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, I like my precious people, ramen and training. I dislike traitors, people who take things for granted and people who judge others for something not in their control. My hobbies are training, learning new jutsu and bonding with precious people. My dream is to be the most powerful shinobi to grace the Elemental Nations and be Hokage."

"Admirable goal," Kakashi remarked, before moving on. "Raven, you're next."

Sayuri scowled. "I'm Uchiha Sayuri. I like nothing and dislike everything, especially my brother. My hobbies are training and my dream is not a dream, but a life goal: to kill Uchiha Itachi and restore the Uchiha clan."

While Sakura and Kakashi sweatdropped, Naruto frowned sadly. Sayuri had a sad past and Naruto felt like he was obliged to help her move past it. Unknown to everyone including himself, Naruto's fists were tightly clenched. He only released them when he realised how much he was stressing over the Uchiha.

"Well… interesting team we have here. Tomorrow, we're going to have a survival test which will determine whether you stay a genin or get sent back to the Academy. Report to Training Ground 7 by 7a.m., and don't eat breakfast or you'll taste it twice," Kakashi announced before disappearing.

Awkwardly, the three genin dispersed.

Training Ground 7, 7a.m.

Sakura and Sayuri arrived and did not eat breakfast as instructed; Naruto on the other hand, was late.

He arrived at nine, much to Sakura's ire. "NARUTO, YOU'RE LATE!" The boy shrugged. "I'm not late when Kakashi-sensei is not here yet."

Opening a bento, he began savouring breakfast. "Kakashi-sensei told us not to eat breakfast, Naruto!" Sakura scolded once again.

"We're having survival training, we'll need energy for this. Trust me," replied Naruto between mouthfuls of rice.

Sayuri and Sakura's stomachs began growling in hunger. The two kunoichi blushed and Sayuri looked away.

Naruto still took notice and offered his bento to Sayuri. "Here. You can have it." Sayuri tried to resist but her stomach was seemingly stronger than her mind in this case.

Blushing, she accepted the offer. "Thank you," she muttered. "What was that?" Naruto replied, not hearing what she said. "I said thank you!" she yelled out in embarrassment, blushing even more heavily as she cursed herself.

"Goddammit why is Naruto so nice to me? I've tried to push him away from me with my attitude but he just keeps coming back… Naruto you are the sweetest boy I've met but I'm afraid your kindness was wasted on me. I'm sorry I'll be gone in due time," Sayuri thought as she ate his bento with his chopsticks, she realised.

"Sakura I'm sorry I didn't have extra, I'll go and get one for you alright?" Naruto said. Sakura sighed. "Thank you, Naruto."

The blond disappeared in a burst of speed to the nearest shop. Transforming into someone else, he bought breakfast for Sakura and came back within two minutes.

"Wow that was fast," Sakura commented.

After finishing breakfast, they waited until 10 before Kakashi arrived.

With Kakashi

The white-haired jonin stood up from the Memorial Stone, where he had been for the past three hours. "I will honour your legacy, Obito. Who knows, this team might even pass."

He disappeared in a Leaf Shunshin to where Team 7 was waiting.

Training Ground 7

"KAKASHI-SENSEI, YOU'RE LATE AGAIN!" Sakura screeched. Said sensei winced before replying, "On the road I saw a black cat and had to take the long way around it just to get here."

"Well anyways, I have here with me two bells. You have two hours to get them from me. If you don't have a bell, you will be disqualified and sent back to the Academy. Additionally, you will be tied to those posts and watch as the other two eat their lunches."

"So that's why he didn't want us to eat breakfast," all three genin thought simultaneously.

"Questions? No? Hajime!" Kakashi yelled.

At once, the genin scattered into the forests. Naruto was analysing Kakashi's instructions, as was Sayuri. Quickly, both came to the same conclusion.

"The aim of this test is teamwork."

Soon, the two found each other. "Sayuri-" "Naruto-" both started simultaneously, before pausing. "You start first," they followed up at the same time.

Naruto sighed. "We need to work together to beat Kakashi-sensei." "Agreed," Sayuri replied.

"Ma, what's this, my cute little genin?" Kakashi said suddenly, beside them on the tree. Shocked, both leapt out of the tree while tossing a kunai attached to an explosive tag.

Kakashi jumped away to safety, avoiding the explosion which wrecked the tree they were previously on.

The jonin chuckled. It appeared that there was a spark between the two, and it was up to him to ignite the flames of love. "Oh Kami why do I sound like Gai now?" Kakashi thought, amused but then shivered at the thought of his "eternal rival".

Sayuri and Naruto tumbled onto the grass floor and quickly recovered. "We have to find Sakura, now," Sayuri said.

"I got this," Naruto assured and closed his eyes. He felt a small chakra presence; it was the chakra signature of Sakura.

"That way, let's go," Naruto led her to find their other teammate.

Kakashi eye smiled. "Interesting… so Naruto's a sensor," he thought, "My shadow clone got her already, so let's see what they'll come up with."

They found her on collasped on the floor and Naruto turned her over, checking her pulse. "She's alive… no sign of any physical damage so it must've been genjutsu."

Naruto uttered "Kai (Release)", snapping her out it. Sayuri took the chance and spoke up, "Sakura, we need to work together as team to defeat Kakashi."

She agreed with her idol and came up with a plan.

With Kakashi

"What now?" Kakashi thought as he saw Naruto approaching him at genin level speed. Just as he neared, the blond suddenly sped up to low jonin speed, shocking the jonin as he blitzed him with a punch.

Kakashi clutched his stomach in pain as that blow had been strong, and coupled with the momentum of his speed, he was sure something inside had been damaged.

He was never underestimating him again. Naruto swung his next fist, however this time Kakashi was on guard and knocked his arm away.

Next, he executed a leg sweep which Naruto flipped over. The blond then approached from behind and sent a punch to his back.

He wasn't a jonin for nothing, however, and spun around rapidly, snapping his leg out in a roundhouse kick.

His foot sent Naruto crashing into the floor. That is, until "Naruto" dispelled in a burst of smoke. "Kage Bunshin?!" Kakashi thought in suppressed shock. How was he able to perform the Shadow Clone Jutsu?

The ground erupted, giving way to Naruto who emerged from it with an outstretched arm. Kakashi managed to avoid it in time by flipping away.

"Great tactics, but still not enough to beat me, Naruto," Kakashi commented. "Who said I was doing it alone?" Naruto asked with a smirk.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu)!" Sayuri called from behind Kakashi. A huge orb of flames rolled out of her mouth and flew towards the jonin.

Turning round and seeing the hurtling fireball, Kakashi jumped out of the way, exploiting the jutsu's weakness - linear path of movement.

However, his eyes widened when he realised Naruto was still in the path of the fireball. The flames seemingly engulfed the blond, incinerating the boy.

Kakashi's eyes widened and he quickly went to check on his student. Where Naruto once stood, was a charred body.

He bent down to check on the corpse. Without warning, he was punched in the head by Sakura. He glared at her. "This is not a game, Sakura! Your teammate is dead, could you at least show concern?"

"Sakura" laughed and somersaulted into the air, before a burst of smoke revealed her to actually be Naruto. "Nice to know you care, but did you think I was actually that easy to kill?"

The corpse dispersed in a plume of smoke as well, revealing itself to be a transformed shadow clone. So, Naruto had outmanoeuvred the fireball with pure speed and left behind a transformed shadow clone while transforming himself?

Kakashi scowled. If he wasn't so pissed off, he would've been impressed. Though he did it to pass the test, Naruto may have crossed the line in playing dirty for this one. After losing a teammate, Kakashi wasn't keen on losing a genin under his charge.

Naruto watched as Kakashi disappeared in a Shunshin, reappearing behind the startled Sayuri. He drew a kunai and placed it to her neck.

"How would like it if your own teammate's life was in danger?" Kakashi asked coldly, "How would you like it if they die?"

With the last word, he pulled the kunai along Sayuri's jugular. Naruto's eyes widened in shock. "Sayuri-chan!" the Uzumaki screamed.

Blood sprayed across the floor as his Uchiha teammate dropped to the floor, dead before she even hit it.

"Snap out of it, Naruto! It's a genjutsu!" Kurama roared from within the mindscape, before deciding to take it into his own hands by flaring his chakra to disrupt Naruto's chakra flow.

The genjutsu was released, causing Naruto to see the reality before him: Kakashi was dashing towards him and Sayuri was in front of him, protecting him from any possible attack.

He couldn't tell that Sayuri was flushing badly as he had screamed out her name so passionately with the "-chan" suffix, which in itself was something he had not done since childhood.

She could tell though, that Kakashi had cast some form of genjutsu and by Naruto's reaction, it probably involved her.

In a flash of yellow, however, Kakashi was knocked out of the way by… was that a shakujo (ringed staff)? Interestingly enough, it was indeed a shakujo and wielded by Naruto, whose body was covered in what appeared to be a chakra cloak.

Naruto growled. "I'm sorry for faking my death, Kakashi-sensei… but you really shouldn't have done that. Be it genjutsu or reality, NO ONE touches my precious people and gets away with it."

Sayuri fought the urge to blush again. Dammit, what was wrong with her? Just because Naruto considered her as one of his precious people… No. She had a task to fulfil and she would not allow Naruto to be caught up in it.

Kakashi had the wind knocked out of him by that weird weapon. It was an ancient and traditional monk's staff - a shakujo. But Naruto had used it in combat successfully, so it did have some merit.

He watched in slight surprise as the shakujo split into two black orbs which returned to Naruto's back, rejoining the other two which were orbiting.

"Let's put an end to this! Sakura!" Naruto called. From a nearby tree, four kunai were thrown and landed in a square formation around Kakashi, who was attempting to recover and get away.

"Isshi Tōjin (String Light Formation)!" Naruto called. Lines of fuinjutsu script wrapped around all four kunai, creating a barrier which prevented Kakashi from escaping.

"Fubaku Hōjin (Sealed Bomb Square Release)!" Naruto activated further, causing fuinjutsu script to run in the corners, the same as those on explosive tags. "Kakashi-sensei, I wouldn't suggest moving unless you want your head and body to be in separate places."

Said jonin sighed, giving up. He was bested by three genin, and who knew Naruto had so much in him? He was really pushing it with that genjutsu.

Meanwhile in Naruto's thoughts, he was wondering: did Sayuri really mean that much to him? After all, she kept on insulting and looking down on him. Perhaps, even that had grown on him. Or was it something else, something in the past?

Kakashi gave up the bells, having no way to escape the trap without being blown up. Once Naruto released the technique, he stood up and dusted himself off. "Dainanahan (Team 7)… you pass," he said with an eye smile.

The freshly graduated genin were in no mood to cheer and simply responded with an unenthusiastic "yay".

"You know, you guys should be proud to be in Team 7. You're only the fifth Team 7 since Konoha's founding, you know?" said Kakashi.

"Really now? Who were the previous teams then?" Sakura asked.

"Only the best ever made it to Team 7, for all its senseis had very high standards. The first Team 7 ever was led by Senju Tobirama, the Nidaime, who then had three genin under his charge: Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, both of whom are currently elders in the Council."

"The second Team 7 was led by the Sandaime, and he had three genin under his charge then; they are currently the Legendary Sannin of Konoha: Jiraiya, the Gama Sennin (Toad Sage), Tsunade, the Namekuji Hime (Slug Princess) and Orochimaru, who is now a nukenin (missing-nin)."

"The third Team 7 was led by Jiraiya and there was only one famous student in this case: Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime."

"The Yondaime went on to lead Team 7, and under him were Nohara Rin, Uchiha Obito and myself, Hatake Kakashi of the Sharingan."

Sayuri's eyes widened. "How do you possess the Sharingan?" Kakashi sighed. "It's a long and tragic story, but in the end my teammate gifted me with his Sharingan just before he died."

"So that's what's under his headband," thought Naruto.

"And so, you're all now the fifth Team 7, and who knows? Maybe one day you'll grow up to be powerful shinobi," Kakashi said, "But as with all powerful shinobi, they start small. Tomorrow is your first mission, report directly to the Ninmu Uketsuke (Mission Assignment Desk) in the Academy at six-"

"-you mean nine," Naruto deadpanned.

Kakashi sweatdropped in response. "-at six in the morning. Well, ja ne."

"He means nine."

Hokage's Office

Kakashi arrived along with the two other jonin senseis, Asuma and Kurenai. "So, what are the results of test?" Hiruzen asked while smoking a pipe.

Asuma replied, "Team 10 - pass."

Kurenai spoke, "Team 8 passed my test."

Kakashi eye smiled and declared, "Team 7… pass."

The other two jonin gasped in surprise, for Kakashi had never passed a team in all his years as a jonin. "Kakashi, could you explain why they passed?" the Sandaime inquired.

"Well, the moment it begun, Naruto and Sayuri figured out the test's objective and found each other. After I ambushed them, they blew up the tree we were on with an explosive tag and ran away. Naruto, with his sensory skills, located Sakura who I had already placed a genjutsu on with my shadow clone. They came together after releasing the illusion and presumably came up with a plan."

"Naruto approached me at - get this - low jonin speed. We had a brief taijutsu scuffle before he burst into smoke, revealing himself to be a shadow clone. The original shot from the ground and attempted a punch but I evaded it. Suddenly, Sayuri launched a fireball at me from behind and I leapt out of the way but Naruto was caught in it."

Everyone in the room was glued to his next few words. "He secretly outmanoeuvred it with pure speed and replaced himself with a transformed shadow clone as a burned corpse. When I went to check on him, Sakura ambushed me and later revealed that she was a transformed Naruto. I cast a genjutsu on him-" Kakashi said and at this point left out the details of what illusion he actually cast.

"-and dashed towards him, however Sayuri came to his defence. Apparently, he snapped out of it in time and knocked me away with a shakujo. It caused so much pain that the real Sakura was able to throw four kunais around me in a square. With this, Naruto activated a barrier and layered it with an explosive trap. As such, I had to give up or risk getting blown up."

"Interesting," the elder Sarutobi thought. The other two jonins in the room were shocked to the core. How did Naruto possess such speed and power, as well as fuinjutsu? That was an art completely out of a genin's league. Then again, he was an Uzumaki, whose clan was renown for its fuinjutsu prowess. Still, it did not explain the speed or power.

"Well, I expect that tomorrow, you all will be assigning D-ranks for your respective teams?"

The three senseis smirked. It would be fun to see their reaction.

With Naruto

When he returned home, Kurama spoke up from the mindscape, "Since you're Asura-san's transmigrant, I'll try to be nice to you. Try."

Naruto replied awkwardly, "Uh… thanks, I guess?"

"I'll always be on standby so if you get caught in a genjutsu like just now, I'll break it for you. Also, if you ever run out of chakra, I'll refill it with my own. Thirdly, I'll gift you with one of my sensory skills: the ability to detect negative emotions," Kurama explained with reluctance. He rarely felt nice enough to do this for his jinchuuriki but this was a special case, as Naruto was his brother's incarnate.

Yes, the Rikudo Sennin had used onmyōton to split up the original tailed beast, the Jubi (Ten Tails) which was also known as the Shinju (Divine Tree), into the current nine tailed beasts of today. As such, they considered him to be a father, so being his son, Asura was treated as a brother.

"Last thing: if one day, we have enough mutual trust, and you free me from the seal, I will allow you to use Bijuu Modo (Tailed Beast Mode) and summon me as an avatar," the Kyuubi finished.

"Deal!" Naruto agreed happily, and with sheer willpower, changed the entire waterlogged basement into a huge grassland where a mountain lay in the middle of lush forests.

The cage was transformed into a huge cave within the mountain and the bars morphed into a curtain of water cascading from the summit as a waterfall down to a huge lake where Naruto was currently standing on.

Kurama grinned, though with his teeth, it may have looked malicious. He was already liking this kid.

Mission Assignment Desk, 9a.m.

The three genin arrived at the desk, just as their sensei walked up to the door. "Ah… ohayo," Kakashi called sheepishly.

Naruto said, "See, I told you he meant nine."

The jonin cleared his throat to save himself from further embarrassment. "Right. Team 7, here for a D-rank."

The chunin at the desk rifled through a cabinet and found a scroll labelled "D-rank". Opening it, he announced in monotone, "Madam Shijimi, the Fire Daimyo's wife, has lost her cat Tora YET again. Your mission is to find it and return it by twelve today."

All three genin sweatdropped, having expected a mission of higher intensity befitting their skill set. "Well, now, there's no time to waste. Ikuzo!" Kakashi ordered.

The three genin set off to begin this crazy enterprise of D-ranks.

Author's Notes:  
So, how's this chapter? I'm afraid the story may be moving a bit too fast, but there was not much to write about Naruto's past as it was similar to canon. For that, I apologise. But do look out for the next chapter: Riding The Waves. The chapter title is inspired by DarkMasterStarr's Stop The Future. Do check it out, it's a great fic. Stay tuned for chapter 4, and please review!

Until tomorrow,  
Ja Ne

P.S. Happy Halloween!


	4. Riding The Waves

Asura's Transmigrant

Chapter 4: Riding The Waves

Previously:  
The three genin set off to begin this crazy enterprise of D-ranks.

"Raven to Squad, target spotted, over," whispered Sayuri over a radio.

"Blondie to Squad, target in position. Get into position, I repeat, get into position, over," Naruto muttered as he noticed their target right where they wanted it to be.

"Roger that Blondie, Pinkie in position."

"Roger that Blondie, Raven in position."

"Blondie to Squad, all in position. Initiate attack in 3, 2,1…" Naruto counted down. At the last number, he leapt towards the demon cat and scared it off, causing it to run in the opposite direction - straight into the clutches of Sakura and Sayuri.

While Sakura seized the cat, Sayuri formed hand seals for a basic genjutsu. "Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu (Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Jutsu)," Sayuri intoned.

The cat was paralysed, given them a chance to capture it. They brought it back to the Mission Assignment Desk where its owner was waiting.

Kakashi congratulated, "Your first mission was a success! Good job!" "And you didn't do anything but 'supervise', Kakashi-sensei," Sakura deadpanned.

The Hokage interrupted. "Here's your mission payment," said Hiruzen. The first payout wasn't much, it only amounted to 500 ryo, which was split up among the four of them. Kakashi got 200 while the rest got 100 ryo each, much to their dismay.

"Dainanahan, you may go for lunch now. At half past noon report to Training Ground 7. I'll begin chakra control training," instructed Kakashi.

"3:30p.m.?" asked Naruto suspiciously.

"No, really, 12:30p.m.," Kakashi confirmed, much to Hiruzen's amusement. "Dismissed."

Yakiniku Q

This time, Team 7 decided to have lunch at a barbecue joint owned by the Akimichi clan. As such, Naruto wasn't chased away because the Akimichis were friends of the Yondaime, though that was unknown to him.

Each table was fitted with charcoal braziers and equipped with tongs for cooking since the Gyu-Kaku (Bull's Horn) form of dining was one in which the customers cooked their own food after ordering it.

It was a delicious meal, but still didn't beat ramen in Naruto's opinion. Well, no other food ever did. As soon as they finished, the trio left for Training Ground 7 on time.

To their huge surprise, Kakashi was already there, reading an orange book to pass time. Noticing their arrival, he snapped the book shut. "Ah, you're here. Let's begin our chakra control training."

"Kakashi-sensei, could you explain what chakra control is?" asked Naruto. Sakura nodded in agreement.

"Well, because chakra takes time and a great deal of training to gradually build up, the key to its use is not actually having chakra but instead being able to sufficiently control and conserve it. This is called chakra control. In order to have good chakra control, a ninja should only mould as much chakra as they need to perform a given ability. If they mould more chakra than is needed, the excess chakra is wasted and they will tire out faster from its loss. If they don't mould enough chakra, a technique will not be performed effectively, if at all, likely creating problems in a combat situation."

"Ok I get the idea now, but how exactly do we improve our chakra control?" asked Sakura.

"There are primarily two methods: the Ki Nobori no Shugyo (Tree Climbing Practice) and the Suimen Hoko no Gyo (Water Surface Walking Practice)," Kakashi explained, "The tree climbing exercise is a very important skill that will be applied to your everyday shinobi movement. Using just chakra, you will adhere your feet to the tree bark and walk up like it is a horizontal surface. The key to this is chakra control - if you use too little, you'll fall off easily but too much and the chakra will repel you from the bark. Got it?"

Team 7 nodded. "Use these kunais to mark your progress as you go along," instructed Kakashi as he passed the weapons out. "Go!"

Sakura walked up the nearest tree like it was nothing. Kakashi was gaping in slight surprise, however it was expected as she had low chakra levels.

Still, he wouldn't have expected her to get it on the first try. "With chakra control this good, she could learn genjutsu or even learn iryo ninjutsu. She has a potential to be the team's medic," Kakashi thought.

Meanwhile, her other two teammates were struggling as they kept on using too much chakra. "Clearly, Sayuri is the team's ninjutsu specialist, seeing how she attacked with her fireball jutsu yesterday. Naruto is evidently the taijutsu specialist here for he has high speed and strength - though his taijutsu style still needs to be refined - but judging from his huge chakra reserves, he has potential to be stronger in ninjutsu than Sayuri."

Sayuri was getting annoyed, but calmed her nerves and tried again. This time, she made it three-quarters up the bark whereas Naruto had only reached half the bark.

However, her progress seemed to halt there for she was unable to go further and had to repeat the exercise for the rest of the day, as did Naruto.

Meanwhile, Kakashi decided to teach Sakura some genjutsu and basic iryo ninjutsu. He was no medic but he had copied techniques from them before and they came in handy when in a pinch.

By the end of the day, Naruto and Sayuri were still unable to get up the tree. Kakashi encouraged, "Don't worry about it, it's perfectly normal to be unable to get up the tree in the first day. Just keep practising."

The next day, after their mission, Team 7 returned to chakra control training once again. True to her prodigious talent, Sayuri managed to get up this time and moved on to water walking along with Sakura. It was a whole new experience though, because apart from using the right amount of chakra, it also had to match the water's flow and alternate accordingly.

Ripples in the water were enough to send them crashing into the river. "This will take a while," Kakashi mused.

Naruto was getting extremely frustrated for his own inability and was determined to get up the tree. He only did so successfully on the fourth day and finally moved on to the water walking exercise, where his teammates were still stuck.

"A word of warning: unless you want to get wet, you might want to take off your clothes," advised Kakashi. Naruto complied, not wishing to soil his precious jacket but for the sake of the girls, kept on his pants.

This caused a huge reaction among the girls, especially Sayuri, for Naruto was simply quite toned for their age. He had freaking abs, for Kami's sake.

The moment the blond stepped into the water though, he fell right through and got his whole body soaked. When he got out of the water, his hair was dripping wet and his face was one of annoyance.

Sayuri was the only one thinking that he looked extremely hot at the moment. She scolded herself mentally for acting like a fangirl and carried on with the exercise, also getting wet.

"I put too little chakra just now… what if I put too much?" Naruto wondered. He was answered when the water around him began churning and was pushed aside by his huge chakra presence, looking like The Crossing Of The Red Sea except in a much smaller scale.

The water splashed the other three, getting them drenched. Kakashi was slightly irritated for getting wet when he wasn't supposed to but shook it off (no pun intended) and said, "That's what happens when there's too much chakra. Use the same amount you did for your tree climbing but remember to alternate the amount based on the flow."

This time, it took another week before Team 7 perfected it, being able to walk or run on water. "So what's next, Kakashi-sensei?"

Said jonin eye smiled. "Time for your first C-rank tomorrow!"

Mission Assignment Desk, 10a.m.

"Team 7, here for a C-rank," Kakashi requested. The Hokage asked, "Are you sure they are ready, Kakashi?"

Their sensei nodded. The chunin on duty then fished for a scroll labelled C-rank and read it out. "Protect Tazuna the bridge builder of Wave until he completes the bridge linking Hi no Kuni (Land Of Fire) to Nami no Kuni (Land Of Waves)."

"Finally, a real mission," remarked Naruto happily. "Send in Tazuna," ordered the Hokage to the chunin outside, who opened the door for the mission client.

The old man who entered was a drunkard, wearing a straw hat and a towel around his neck. Obviously, he was a labourer.

"I asked for top notch protection and I got this team of… snot-nosed brats?" Tazuna commented rather rudely. Naruto's blood was boiling but Kakashi intervened.

"We're more than enough to protect you against bandits, Tazuna-san," replied Kakashi. The man winced. "Whatever, I expect you all to protect me at all costs."

"Since we're heading to Nami no Kuni, pack up and meet at the East Gate in ten minutes," Kakashi ordered.

East Gate, 10:15a.m.

"Let's go!" The group left Konohagakure for the Land Of Waves. For the genin, it was the first time leaving the village and it was captivating to see the huge expanse of forestry extending out from the village.

When walking, they came across a puddle on the floor. This aroused Naruto's suspicion as it was a clear day and it had not rained in a week. Sayuri looked to Naruto, thinking the same and nodded. Genjutsu.

Besides, that pool was full of chakra and had two chakra signatures within, as Naruto sensed. Guessing from the chakra levels, it was two chunins. As soon as they strolled past, two Kiri nukenin burst out from the puddle with a shuriken chain linking the two by their gauntlets.

The sharp chain wrapped around Kakashi and they yanked on both ends, reducing him to sliced flesh. They turned to the remaining four and threatened, "Give us the old man or we'll kill you like we did to your sensei."

"Sakura, stay with Tazuna-san. Sayuri and I will deal with these two," Naruto directed, "Ikuzo, Sayuri!"

The two genin took off sprinting towards the chunin pair. Naruto sped up and launched himself at one of them. Sayuri threw a kunai ahead of her, lodging the chain against a tree and trapping the two.

Upon realising they couldn't break free, the two released the mechanism from their gauntlets and rolled away in time to avoid Naruto. The blond's kick ended up hitting the tree instead, causing it to topple where Naruto's foot had struck.

The two paled. They were supposed to be genin!

Naruto picked up the fallen tree and swung it at the chunin in front of him with ease. "Timber!" he yelled as he smashed him in the head.

This got him dazed enough for Naruto to knock him unconscious with a palm thrust to the temple. The blond around to face the other enemy, who was fighting Sayuri ferociously.

She seemed to have the upper hand with her quicker speed but from the looks of it, was already slashed once by the man's gauntlet claws.

When she was knocked away by his gauntlet, Naruto took over and spun while jumping up. He snapped out his foot, executing a tornado kick perfectly. It slammed into the chunin's face and sent him flying towards a tree.

Sayuri, who had gotten up, ran to him and with great speed, throwing him skywards with a mule kick to his chin.

Capitalising on this, Naruto disappeared in a blur and reappeared above the man in midair. He grinned at the shocked chunin before performing a brutal axe kick.

The man was thrown to the ground at high speeds, crashing next to his brother and forming a huge crater. All the bones in his back were broken.

"Kakashi-sensei, you can come out now," Naruto said. The jonin stepped out from the trees lining the path, much to Sakura's surprise.

"But Kakashi-sensei, I thought you were-"

"Substitution, Sakura," Kakashi interrupted pointing to the shredded logs on the floor where he was standing earlier.

"If that's the case why did you leave it to the genin then?" Tazuna asked.

"Well," Kakashi replied, now glaring at Tazuna, "I had to see who they were targeting - us, ninja attacking ninja, or you, the master bridge builder. In your mission request, you asked for standard protection against robbers and bandits. You didn't say there were ninjas after you."

Tazuna began sweating profusely.

"If you did, this would have been a B-rank mission and we would've staffed differently, as well as charged appropriately. Apparently, you have your reasons but lying to us is unacceptable. We are now beyond the scope of the mission," Kakashi declared.

"I'm sorry!" Tazuna broke down, "It's just… our village is in poverty from Gato's tyranny and we have no way to pay for a B-rank."

"Gato, the shipping magnate?" questioned Kakashi.

Tazuna nodded. "He monopolised our island's shipping trade. The only way for us to break the monopoly is for me to build a bridge linking our country to Hi no Kuni, thus returning our trade and prosperity. The problem is, Gato knows and sent ninjas on my tail. I got to Konoha as fast as possible but I only had money to afford a C-rank."

"Fine," Kakashi huffed, "Our team should be able to handle this if that's all we face. You're lucky we have high level genins in the team. We will continue this mission provided everyone agrees."

Team 7 assented, leading Kakashi to order the resumption of the mission. "But as soon as your country is rich again, we expect the proper mission payment," warned Kakashi.

This was more than he could hope for so the old man simply thanked them again and again.

"One more thing," Naruto suddenly spoke, "Sayuri."

The Uchiha blinked at not being addressed as "teme". "What is it, usuratonkachi?"

"There's poison in your wounds originating from the nukenins' claws. Let me treat you now," Naruto offered. "Hn," Sayuri replied, "I'll be fine."

"No you won't, now let me see to that wound," Naruto replied with a fierce tone. Sayuri sighed and relented.

To her great surprise, Naruto brought his mouth to her wounds and began sucking where the claws had cut her arm. "What are you doing?!" she asked, embarrassed.

Naruto did not reply, only stopping to spit out a purple fluid on the floor. It was the poison from her wound.

"I've sucked out the poison. Now I'll heal your wounds," Naruto answered before closing his eyes. Within seconds, chakra burst from his body and shrouded him in a haori.

Four black orbs floated behind him in a ring, of which he brought out one to Sayuri's arm. Focusing, he increased the output of Yang chakra into her arm's cells, causing them to regenerate much faster.

The wounds closed up and healed in ten seconds, leaving no scars behind. Strangely, it felt warm and relaxing when Naruto did that.

Soon after, he released his chakra cloak. "Sugoi!" Sakura cried in amazement upon noticing that Sayuri's wounds were now non-existent. "Interesting ability," Kakashi contemplated in thought.

"Well, now that that's settled, let's get going," said Naruto who started walking. Another four hours later, they finally reached the end of the path where a huge coast wrapped around the sea, cutting off any further access by land to Nami no Kuni. From here on, it was a sea journey.

Before they could get on a boat, however, Naruto detected a jonin-level chakra presence approaching them.

"Get down!" Naruto warned as soon as he heard the sound of a revolving blade flying through the air. It flew overhead and lodged itself into a tree right next to the shore, revealing its owner who stood on top of the huge blade.

"The Kubikiribocho… you must be Zabuza, Kirigakure no Kijin (Demon Of The Mist) and one of the Kiri no Shinobigatana Shichinin Shu (Seven Swordsmen Of The Mist)," Kakashi identified the famous sword and its owner.

Zabuza smirked. "Sharingan no Kakashi (Kakashi Of The Sharingan)… I see why the Oni Kyodai (Demon Brothers) lost. Well then, I believe you won't hand the old man over easily so I'll have to do this the hard way!"

With the last word, he jumped off his sword while grabbing its handle. With a hard tug, he dislodged it from the tree and charged towards Kakashi.

"Get ready!" Kakashi warned. Immediately, Team 7 formed the Manji Formation around their client, creating a tight triangle around the bridge builder to protect against outside threats.

Zabuza's eyes narrowed and he brought the Seal Of Confrontation to his chest when five metres away from Kakashi. "Ninpo: Kirigakure no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu)!"

A thick fog lifted from the nearby water body, obscuring their view. Alarmed, Kakashi straightened his headband as soon as possible and brought his Sharingan to see the light.

Zabuza's killing intent flooded the area, causing everyone apart from Kakashi and Naruto to cower in fear. Being a jonin, Zabuza's KI was fearsome indeed and Kakashi was only standing because of his equal status. Naruto, on the other hand, had no trouble because of Kurama.

The nukenin stalked to the area where Kakashi was and came up from behind him. The Konoha jonin, sensing this, turned back and slashed him in the midsection, only for "him" to burst into water.

"Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu (Water Clone Jutsu)?" The real Zabuza emerged from behind and bisected Kakashi with his sword, however, "Kakashi" also burst into water.

"He… copied my jutsu?!" Zabuza thought angrily. Kakashi's Sharingan was spinning and glowing crimson red under the low visibility conditions, a creepy sight to behold.

The nukenin raised his sword to block a stab from Kakashi's kunai. The tip of the kunai was snapped off, much to Kakashi's chagrin.

Zabuza grinned demonically before initiating a sacrifice throw which launched the Sharingan wielder into the sea.

As soon as he surfaced, a water clone shouted, "Suiton: Suirō no Jutsu (Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu)!" This created an orb of chakra-infused water which entrapped Kakashi.

"Shimata!" he cursed, and then yelled, "Naruto, take the team and Tazuna-san and get away!"

The blond shook his head in refusal. "I'm getting you out of there, sensei!" Zabuza smirked. "You should've listened to your sensei, gaki. Now I'll have you to kill you all."

Naruto assumed a stance before rushing into battle. "Tsk," Sayuri clicked her tongue in irritation. "Sakura guard Tazuna, I'll fight along Naruto."

Naruto had superior speed and was evading every swipe of Zabuza's Kubikiribocho. Zabuza had great strength but was sluggish in movement, especially after a huge swing.

Capitalising on this, he delivered a chop to his wrist which caused the sword to fly into the air. Naruto attempted to kick Zabuza's stomach, however the nukenin stepped back and dodged.

Sayuri, who had just arrived, noticed what was going to happen and paled. The sword was spinning back down into its owner's hands and Naruto had yet to recover from his kick for he had overcompensated and was now left vulnerable. She made a mad dash for it.

Grinning menacingly, Zabuza caught the sword and swung it down at Naruto who had no time to evade for his stance was too open.

"Naruto-kun!" she screamed in thought, her vision beginning to blur. Though she acted like she hated him to try to negate any possible hurt he would feel when the inevitable occurred, she still felt love in her heart and the thought of losing him was unbearable. All of a sudden, her vision cleared and in fact, became sharper. Weirdly though, the world around her was now in inverse negative - the sky was orange and the floor was red. Even more strangely was the fact that everything around her seemed to be moving in slow motion, including the Kubikiribocho which was going down very slowly.

Seeing as she still had time, she doubled her efforts to sprint towards Zabuza.

Sayuri made it just in time and her bare hands caught the edge of the blade as it swung down, bracing against it. The razor edge cut deep into her hands but managed to stop the sword from moving any further. The Uchiha girl winced as pain shot through her nerves but resisted the urge to cry out in agony.

Naruto gasped as he noticed his teammate's vermilion eyes swirling with two tomoes each but quickly took the opportunity and got away from the sword's path. "Thanks, Sayuri," he said softly. The next moment, yellow chakra enveloped him as he entered Six Paths Sage Mode.

"Get the fuck away from her, bastard!" Naruto yelled, making a huge swing with a shakujo he fashioned out of one of his Truth-Seeking Orbs.

It arced in a perfect curve and struck the blade at the portion above Sayuri's hands. A clean line shot across from the part where Naruto had slammed it to the other end of the blade. To all three's shock, the Kubikiribocho actually snapped!

The heavy edge of the blade that had broken fell and hit the floor. Zabuza didn't complain, however, and freed the portion of the sword which he was holding from Sayuri's bleeding hands, which Naruto healed with his Gudō Dama.

The blood dripping from the blade was seemingly absorbed and the blade was restored to its original form. Naruto analysed calmly, "Zabuza, your blade… it harvested the iron in Sayuri's blood, huh?"

The jonin was surprised. Only users of the blade ever knew such a trait existed. "You're smart, boy."

"Well, I'll just have to make sure you never draw blood from me!" Naruto shouted as he charged at Zabuza together with Sayuri.

The nukenin flashed through hand seals. "Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu (Water Style: Giant Vortex Jutsu)!" Water erupted from the shore and shot swiftly towards the pair as a huge vortex.

Naruto whipped the shakujo out in front of him and twirled it rapidly, negating the A-rank suiton (water style) jutsu. "What?! What the hell is that?!" Zabuza cried as he witnessed his jutsu fall apart into pools of water.

Sayuri sprinted towards Zabuza alongside Naruto. They disappeared in two blurs, blitzing the nukenin. As the Uchiha - with her newly awakened Sharingans - clashed with the swordsman, Naruto continued running towards the water clone.

The Mizu Bunshin was vulnerable because in order to maintain the water prison, it had to keep its hand on the orb of water.

Naruto launched a rod made out of the Gudō Dama at the water prison, however the water clone used its other hand to fend off the rod with a kunai.

The blond smirked as the rod pierced through the kunai and shattered it while embedding itself into the Mizu Bunshin's arm.

The water clone, being created from a jutsu, was nullified and disintegrated, thus also rendering the water prison useless. Once the water walls fell away, Kakashi took a deep breath of air and panted hard.

He had been holding his breath for the past five minutes since he was trapped and almost drowned. "Kakashi-sensei, get ready," Naruto uttered. Kakashi nodded, and the blond performed a Kawarimi with Zabuza.

The nukenin tumbled into the water, where Kakashi started attacking him relentlessly. Once they surfaced, Zabuza quickly went through a sequence of forty-four hand seals which Kakashi copied perfectly, having his Sharingan activated.

"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu (Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu)!" both intoned simultaneously. Water gushed up from the lake in the form of two dragons which fought each other for supremacy.

Aiming carefully, Naruto telekinectically sent a kunai made out of the Gūdo Dama to Zabuza's dragon.

Instantly, it collasped as harmless water into the lake. Since it was ninjutsu created with the aid of the environment, the chakra within the jutsu was negated but not the original substance, which in this case was water. If it had been a fireball, it would've completely been erased as it was made entirely out of chakra.

Kakashi's dragon sped on ahead and crashed into Zabuza, slamming him against a tree. Weakly, he uttered, "Those eyes… Do they see the future?"

Kakashi replied tersely, "They do."

"And your future is death."

Author's Notes:

Chapter 4 complete! If you're wondering why Sayuri already has two tomoes upon awakening, think of Obito, who had the same thing happen to him when Rin was in danger. Oh, and I better get back to my other story, the fans there must be mad. Rate and review!

Until tomorrow,  
Ja Ne


	5. The Battle On The Great Naruto Bridge

Asura's Transmigrant

Chapter 5: The Battle On The Great Naruto Bridge

Previously:  
"And your future is death."

Suddenly, two senbons flew from the tree and pierced Zabuza's neck, killing him. A Kiri oi-nin (hunter ninja) dropped in and went to Zabuza's body.

Kakashi checked his pulse and sighed in relief; the nukenin was dead. The oi-nin spoke, "Thank you, Konoha-nin. I've been tracking him for a long time, you have allowed me to kill him."

The jonin stepped back, allowing the Kiri-nin to grab Zabuza's corpse. In a Shunshin, he disappeared with the body.

"Well, now that that's dealt with," Kakashi started before walking a few steps and collapsing to the floor.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura cried, and walked towards her unconscious teacher. "He had overused his Sharingan," Sayuri stated as she deactivated her own.

Naruto picked him up in a fireman's carry and allowed Tazuna to show them to the way to his home.

The five arrived at Tazuna's house. Knocking on the door, a young lady dressed in a short-sleeved pink shirt with long, dark blue hair opened it.

"Konnichiwa, we're Tazuna-san's security detail, Konoha no Dainanahan," Naruto introduced, "This is Uchiha Sayuri, and this is Haruno Sakura. The person who I'm carrying is my sensei, Hatake Kakashi. I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

"Konnichiwa! I'm Tsunami, the daughter of your client," she greeted. Tazuna commented, "I wouldn't have made it without them! We were ambushed by three ninja."

"Thank you, please make yourself at home," Tsunami said as she ushered the team into the house. There was a kid wearing a yellow shirt, green overalls and a white hat with blue stripes in the house.

"That is Inari, my son," Tsunami introduced. Then she led the team to two bedrooms. "These are the guestrooms, there are two futons per room."

"Ano sa, Sayuri, Sakura, who would you like to bunk with?" asked Naruto Sakura cried immediately, "Sayuri-chan!" Sayuri gave a defeated sigh and agreed. Besides, it was in her agenda to get further away from Naruto, not closer. Bunking with Naruto would be a mistake.

"Alright then, let's split up and meet in two hours," Naruto suggested before entering one of the rooms.

He set Kakashi down on the futon and tried to activate his Six Paths Sage Mode to revitalise Kakashi. However, he felt extremely fatigued and was unable to do so.

Asura explained, "Naruto-kun, you can only use it thirty minutes in one day at your current level as your body is unable to handle any more than that. The time limit can be extended, but for now just rest. When you wake, train up your taijutsu. Your overcompensation almost ended your life if not for Sayuri. Now rest."

Naruto felt drowsy and collasped onto the awaiting futon.

Two Hours Later

The blond groaned and blinked as he sat up, his eyes adjusting to the brightly lit room. It was four in the afternoon and Naruto felt like training. When he got downstairs, Sayuri and Sakura were already seated at the table, having high tea.

He sat down and picked up a biscuit from a plate. After chewing, he asked, "Shall we have training?" Sakura nodded, excited to improve her taijutsu. Sayuri silently channelled chakra to her eyes, which turned from onyx to a beautiful vermilion hue. Two tomoes lined a ring surrounding each of her black pupils.

"I awakened my Sharingan. When Kakashi wakes, I'll have him train me in its usage," Sayuri spoke. Naruto replied, "Alright then. For now I'll be working on mostly taijutsu, do you wish to join me Sakura?"

The pink haired girl nodded eagerly. "Sayuri… can you teach me ninjutsu?" Naruto asked sheepishly after humbling himself down.

"Pfft," Sayuri snorted. "Alright then, if you're gonna be of any use, you might as well learn something. Just find me once you're done with your taijutsu."

With that, the Uchiha walked out of the door. Naruto raised an eyebrow but was delighted. "Come on Sakura, let's go practise our taijutsu."

While the Haruno practised her stances, Naruto went through taijutsu katas, placing emphasis on perfecting the forms and fluidity of the transition between each one.

All the way, Asura gave him pointers such as to vary the strength of his blows and the speed of his transitions to confuse the enemy. After all, unpredictability was his forte. Many feints were incorporated into the sequences and other unnecessary manoeuvres were scrapped completely from the kata.

Within three hours, his taijutsu standard was improved to roughly that of a chunin. It would take much more to catch a jonin like Kakashi off guard, though. In such cases, his rank served to deceive the enemy into believing that he was of such a standard expected of those with the genin rank.

At seven, he approached Sayuri for a ninjutsu crash course. "Dobe, were you going to make me wait forever?" spoke Sayuri as she stopped in the middle of her training.

"Sorry about that. Can we begin now?" Naruto apologised. "Alright, basically, ninjutsu manipulates chakra to do things that you normally wouldn't be able to do, like breathe fire or level the ground. To do an elemental jutsu, there are mainly two parts: nature transformation and shape transformation."

"After you mould chakra, nature transformation is applied first. This characterises the jutsu's element. Next, you apply shape transformation, which modifies the chakra for the purpose of the jutsu. For example, my fireball jutsu is my chakra converted to fire and shaped into a ball. Understood?"

Naruto nodded. "So, how do I apply nature transformation?" Sayuri replied, "It comes naturally to one based on the person's elemental affinity. To test for your affinity, you first need to channel your chakra to a piece of chakra paper. I don't have that at the moment so you have to get it from Kakashi-sensei. Well, go ahead. I'll wait."

Naruto returned to the house and found his sensei still asleep. Naruto woke him up temporarily to ask permission to borrow chakra paper. Without questioning, Kakashi gave two sheets to him and went back to sleep.

When he returned, Sayuri exclaimed, "Perfect. Give me one, I'll demonstrate." She held one sheet between her index finger and thumb before sending chakra to it.

It wrinkled and then burst into a small flame, reducing it to ashes. "My elements are fire and lightning. If yours is fire, katon, or lightning, raiton (lightning style), it will burn or wrinkle respectively. If it is water, or suiton, it'll become damp. Earth or doton (earth style), and it'll crumble. With wind, fūton, the paper will tear. Now, try it out. Release your chakra."

Naruto followed her instructions. A huge gale broke out around him and the trees around him had their barks cracked. Branches snapped and leaves flew everywhere in a storm of chaos. Sayuri was pushed back and she glared at him, causing him to stop.

The Uchiha grumbled. "Perhaps I wasn't clear enough in my instructions. Kindly CHANNEL your chakra, not release it. I apologise for my poor word choice, please exercise some chakra control," Sayuri snapped sarcastically.

Naruto sweatdropped. To any other shinobi, releasing and channelling chakra would mean the same. However, his chakra was so dense, so potent and volumous that chakra control was the key difference between the two.

This time, chakra emitted from his fingers and entered the special piece of paper. With a loud, sickening rip, two perpendicular lines formed across the paper, quartering it. And that wasn't it.

The first piece burst into a huge flame which engulfed it, reducing it into tiny black ashes. The second turned so soggy that the entire piece dissolved. The third crumbled into fine dust so small that it appeared that it had disintegrated and the last wrinkled rapidly, crushing itself into a paper ball.

Sayuri was agape. "Firstly… what the hell?!" Sheepishly, he rubbed the back of his head.

"I don't believe my eyes, but things happen, I guess," she spoke again, this time much calmer as she regained her bearings and "Uchiha demeanour".

"Well then, I suppose I could teach you some fire jutsus. Let's start with the Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu," began Sayuri. Briefly, she ran through the jutsu theory and hand seals. Within thirty minutes, he could throw a decent fireball.

To be honest, she was a little jealous that he got it down quicker than she did when she first started. Sure, there was a lot of room for improvement but to be able to even launch a decent-sized fireball was amazing in her eyes.

Next, they moved on to the Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu (Fire Style: Pheonix Flower Jutsu). Since it was essentially splitting the fireball into smaller fireballs, Naruto got the shape transformation much faster this time and learnt the jutsu within fifteen minutes. He never bragged though, choosing to instead improve his current arsenal of two jutsus. He pushed his limits to increase their range and intensity but only succeeded by a small margin.

At 8, Kakashi woke and came by to supervise training. At this point. Sakura joined them. Upon hearing of Sayuri's two-tomoe Sharingan and Naruto's five-element wonder, Kakashi explained that he only knew of two people who had both occurrences.

"Uchiha Obito, my former teammate, awakened the Sharingan with two tomoes already present. He was trying to protect me after I got my left eye slashed. Later, he died saving me from a cave collapse and had me take his left Sharingan," recounted Kakashi.

"Could it be because both were awakened during the need to save someone?" asked Naruto.

The white-haired jonin shrugged. "It's possible, after all most Uchihas awaken their Sharingan when they are under incredible mental stress, usually due to the death of a loved one. This is why they call it the Curse Of Hatred, because the more losses an Uchiha faces, the larger his hatred and thus, the more powerful his eyes become. In Sayuri's case, there's too little evidence from the past though it's still a possibility. I guess, that'll have to wait till she has children, huh?"

Said Uchiha blushed before supressing her embarrassment. "What about Naruto and his five elements?" Sakura asked.

"Well, I've only heard of one man who had all five elemental affinities. He is the Shinobi no Kami (God Of Shinobi), the Shodai Hokage, Hashirama Senju," Kakashi explained.

"Woah," Sayuri gasped in amazement. Naruto wasn't so surprised as he was the Shodai in his past life. On the other hand, he was glad that Sayuri was showing more emotion than she did on a regular basis. Hopefully that meant she was warming up to the team.

Kakashi continued, "My elemental affinity is lightning, however, with my Sharingan, I have copied over a thousand jutsus from all five elements. This earned me the title of Kopi Ninja no Kakashi (Copy Ninja Kakashi)."

"However, the problem with performing jutsus that are not aligned with your affinity is that they take more chakra and chakra control to execute properly, so just a warning before you guys may get any ideas. Except Naruto, of course. So, I'll use two shadow clones to teach Naruto and Sakura ninjutsu while I myself, the original, will instruct Sayuri in the Sharingan as well as ninjutsu. Alright?"

The three genins nodded and Kakashi formed shadow clones. While the original focused on teaching Sayuri Sharingan tactics, it was impossible to teach everything he knew about the eyes as she only had two tomoes. Thus, he moved on to ninjutsu and taught her his one and only original technique, the Chidori (Thousand Birds).

As for Naruto, he gave him two ninjutsu from each element to learn over the week. With shadow clones, they sped up the process as Kakashi revealed to Naruto.

As he had recalled from the Scroll Of Sealing, the Shadow Clone Jutsu created corporeal clones which, once dispelled, returned its chakra and memories to the user. Because of this, using shadow clones to train accelerated the process. What he could complete in an hour could be done in half an hour with a single shadow clone. Since he could spam hundreds, as they found out later, well… you know what happened. The only drawback was things that required muscle memory like taijutsu needed to be done manually as shadow clones could not help in that.

Lastly, with Sakura, she discovered her elements - earth and water - and was taught one jutsu each from each element. Kakashi figured that she had only so much chakra to spare so it would be better if she focused more on being a support-type.

By dinner at nine, despite still having their work cut out for them, all three had accomplished a milestone. They discussed training over dinner, and that's when Kakashi decided to drop the bomb shell.

"I suspect Zabuza may still be alive," the jonin declared suddenly. The genins froze in shock. "But… how? Why?" Naruto asked, setting down his spoon.

"The standard procedure for a hunter-nin is to burn a nukenin's corpse upon killing him. This is to prevent the village's secrets from being leaked. However, as I recall, the oi-nin just took Zabuza away," Kakashi explained.

"But are you hundred percent sure? Facing Zabuza again is a terrifying thought," Sakura asked worriedly.

Kakashi reasoned, "That's not the only detail. From what I remember, senbons are not enough to kill but can induce a death-like state when thrown at the correct spot. In my fatigue I must've overlooked that detail and thought he was really dead. Unfortunately, that means we have at most a week to train before facing Zabuza again, and this time, probably with his accomplice as well. Given his accuracy with the senbons, this accomplice is no pushover either so you guys must train as much as possible. Hopefully we'll be able to increase the odds of victory by learning the jutsus which I have just imparted to you."

"Alright so we'll train extra hard this week!" Naruto cried, excited to get his ninjutsu up to par with his taijutsu.

Their conversation was interrupted by the cold voice of Inari, Tsunami's son. "What's the point of all this training, when you are all going to die at the hands of Gato's men anyways? Why are you still so cheery? What do you know anything about suffering?!"

Suddenly, the room's temperature dropped a few degrees, making its occupants shiver as killing intent flooded the house - courtesy of Naruto.

"Kid, you don't understand how hard of a life we shinobi lead. You think you have it tough? You're wrong. Everyday, we must train ourselves to get even the slightest edge against our opponent so that we can live to see the day and go back to our loved ones. We face death every single day. Even the slightest mistake can lead up to our death... So we treasure what we have, and fight for our precious people. You have your mother and grandfather who love and spoil you. People like me don't even HAVE families! I get glared at in my own village, kicked out of stores, overcharged for simple things! All you need to know is, without any precious people, you cease to have a reason to exist... If you don't stand up for yourself, no one else can do it for you, kid.." Naruto replied, surprising Sakura with the amount of maturity he had in his tone and reply.

In fact, she was shocked that such things even happened to Naruto. Was it true? She decided that she would ask Kakashi-sensei in private, so she would not offend Naruto if he had really gone through such things.

Sayuri on the other hand, felt an inexplicable sense of sadness for Naruto's past. She didn't question the integrity of his words and chose instead to keep silent.

Kakashi was also deeply saddened by Naruto's words, knowing they were true. He was well aware of his student's "tenant" but was disgusted by the villagers' actions. They took their hatred for the fox out on a defenceless boy who knew nothing of why they did so.

Inari was taken aback by Naruto's harsh response, having expected a retarded response about how they were going to find a way to defeat Gato and alleviate the village's suffering. Instead, Naruto's reply was more of a "Fuck you, deal with it bitch" except with instructions how.

The kid burst into tears and ran to his bedroom, Naruto's philosophical response still ringing in his head.

The blond took his plate to the sink where Tsunami was and then opened the door. "I'm going to train." The door closed as Naruto stormed off.

Kakashi sighed. "It can't be helped," he thought.

With Naruto

He began practising all the jutsus he had learnt and spammed shadow clones to help. By eleven, he collasped from exhaustion.

With Sayuri

The other two had turned in for the night, but Naruto was not back yet. This had Sayuri slightly worried as it was quite late already. Had the enemies gotten hold of him?

Stealthily, she snuck out of the guest room and out of the house, venturing into the nearby forests. About three hundred metres away was a huge clearing created by a large array of jutsus. If Naruto had clashed with the enemy, the fight must've been pretty big to leave such a huge trail of destruction.

To her relief, she found Naruto lying on the floor, still alive if his light snoring was anything to go by. She sighed and smiled, stifling a laugh. Only he would be capable of doing all this and still sleeping so peacefully like nothing happened.

As gently as possible, she picked him up. Leaving him here was not only dangerous but he could also catch a cold out in the forest at night. Slowly, she walked back to the house, careful not to wake the sleeping boy in her arms.

Her face flushed when Naruto's sleeping self snuggled deeper into her embrace, pressing against her chest. A ghost of a smile graced her lips.

She then re-entered the house shinobi-style - through the window. Silently, she landed on the tatami floor of Naruto and Kakashi's room. Their sensei was fast asleep, still recuperating from his overuse of the Sharingan. His awakening earlier to check on them and have dinner left him even more weary when he finally retired to the futon as his rest was incomplete.

Well, at least Sayuri could do what she was currently doing. Carefully, she lowered him down on to the futon. The Uchiha located the blanket and pulled it over the sleeping blond.

Under the moonlight, his facial features were relaxed and his expression was one of peace and bliss. It generated an aura of calmness which spread to Sayuri as she tucked her favourite blond into bed.

She found it hard to resist and gave in to her temptations. Softly, she kissed Naruto on the cheek and whispered, "Sweet dreams, Naruto-kun."

Now that her mind was at peace, she returned to her room and went to sleep.

Unknown to her, while Naruto was most definitely asleep, his lips curled into a smile rarely seen anymore - a smile of true happiness.

The Next Morning

Naruto's eyes snapped open and he groaned as he registered the sunlight piercing through the window. It cast a warm glow throughout the room, illuminating it with the brilliance of the morning.

"Rise and shine, kit!" Kurama yelled from the mindcsape, howling with laughter when the boy winced as the loud announcement rang in his head. Clearly he wasn't a morning person.

Asura took over and declared, "Today we will do something special, Naruto-kun. Go to the local blacksmith and commission the finest sword he can make. When you get it, I'll teach you kenjutsu (sword techniques), it'll be worth it as you get to extend your range of attack."

"Alright then," Naruto replied telepathically as he stood up and got downstairs for breakfast. "Tsunami-san is there a blacksmith in this town?"

The woman was surprised by the sudden question but nodded. "He's a very famous blacksmith in town, charges highly for his weapons but makes the best swords in Nami no Kuni," Tsunami replied as she jotted down the address. "Here."

Naruto took the piece of paper and slipped it into his pocket. "Thanks, Tsunami-san." "Naruto, are you buying a sword?" Kakashi queried. "Yep."

Sayuri spoke up, "Can you help get me a chokuto? I'll give you the details on a piece of paper later." "Ok then, I'm leaving after breakfast," Naruto replied, setting down his teacup.

Once Sayuri gave him the paper, he left for the address which Tsunami gave. Sayuri and Sakura split up for their individual training first, Kakashi would later gather them for a team exercise when Naruto returned.

For now, he guarded Tazuna at the bridge as the bridge builder directed his workers for the massive construction taking place.

With Sayuri

In the spot where she found Naruto yesterday, a young girl in pink dress wearing a black choker was plucking plants and depositing them in her basket, seemingly gathering herbs.

"Ohayo," the girl said as she looked up from her herb-picking. "Ohayo," Sayuri gave the customary reply.

"What are you doing out in the forest so early in the morning…" the Uchiha asked, stopping to catch her name.

"Haku," the girl supplied, "I was picking herbs to heal a friend of mine. What about you?" "I'm Uchiha Sayuri, a kunoichi and I was going to begin training."

"Oh?" the girl cocked her head in curiosity. "That's interesting. What do you train for?" The Uchiha replied, "I train to get stronger so that I can kill my brother to avenge my clan."

The girl shook her head in disappoinment. "That's just sad." The Uchiha growled. "And who are you to say that?"

"Are you fighting for your own sake? Or to protect others?" Haku asked. Sayuri's gaze softened. "I don't really know. I guess I fight to avenge my clansmen but at the same time I also protect the people I love from being harmed by what I do."

The girl nodded sympathethically. "That's something I understand. It's a different kind of love, and it must kill you inside to be hated by the one you love, because to protect them you must be the villain huh? Well, you're still fighting to protect someone precious to you, and that's something I respect even greater because you sacrifice more than anybody to protect everybody. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavours, and till we meet again. Goodbye for now."

As Sayuri watched Haku leave the forest clearing, she pondered on her words. She wasn't very successful in shielding Naruto from hurt that he would eventually feel, given that she had done so much for him while he was aware. If she truly wished to care for him while remaining the villain, she should do so covertly.

Suddenly, she thought of Itachi. Could it be…? No, if he had really wanted to protect her, he wouldn't have committed such a heinous crime as slaying the entire clan except her. He would pay dearly for his crimes, and Sayuri would be the one to mete out justice for her fallen clan.

Back to the topic, she was torn between covertly protecting Naruto by being the bad guy, but being unable to protect him openly against threats like Zabuza as she did yesterday; or doing the same thing while allowing herself times to protect him openly, but risking him finding out and loving her back.

She decided that she would do the latter but pass it off as being a "teammate's duty". It was safer this way, she could still be the bad guy while allowing her to protect him when needed and giving her an excuse to do so. Sigh, her love life was so complicated.

With that thought in mind, she commenced her training to learn and master the Chidori as well as the Sharingan.

With Naruto

When he arrived at the given address, he saw a small wooden building with a single floor. Inside, there was a bright glow emanating from the forge.

He knocked and entered when told to by the man inside. "Welcome to my smith shop," the burly man within said, "So, what do you need?"

Naruto replied, "Two custom made swords please. I have a particular one in mind for a friend and the other is for myself."

He walked up to the stone counter and put down Sayuri's note. "This is my friend's specifications for her sword. As for mine, I don't care what you make as long as it's the finest you have to offer. I'll pay you handsomely for it, don't fret."

"I see," the man responded, taking the piece of paper and scanning through it. "Your friend's one is easy to make, however, yours will take quite a while as it'll be my greatest masterpiece yet. Do you mind if it is a yoto (Western sword)?"

Naruto shook his head, "As I said, I don't mind whatever you have planned." The blacksmith nodded and handed him a rod.

"Hold this for me, take a few swings," the blacksmith requested. Naruto did so and the man observed carefully, taking down notes. "He's quite strong as that rod is relatively heavy. I figure I'll forge something heavy, a dense material perhaps."

Next, he took measurements of Naruto's hand, forearm, and legs to determine the weapon's perfect thickness and length.

"Alright, I'm done. Thanks for your business, I'm Shinho Akeba, master blacksmith of Nami, and it's been a pleasure working with you. You can pick up the swords in a week."

"Pleasure working with you too. Ja ne," said Naruto before leaving the forge.

A Week Later

Team 7 alternated between guarding Tazuna and training, and today, it was Sayuri's turn. She scowled as the bridge suddenly became much colder. The fog had thickened and visibility was reduced slightly. For all she knew, Zabuza and the accomplice was back.

"Kakashi-sensei, Sakura, we have an alert. I think the enemy is back," the Uchiha spoke into her radio. "Roger that, heading over. Where's Naruto?" Kakashi asked.

Sakura replied, "I think that idiot overslept, probably still in the house." "Good," Kakashi replied, "Gato might've sent some of his men to attack the house, so Naruto can guard it for now."

"Whatever, just be here quick. I don't like the looks of this," urged Sayuri. At that moment, two blurs appeared by her side. It was Kakashi and Sakura, who were training in the forests nearby the bridge in case such a thing should happen.

On the other end of the uncompleted bridge, two dark shadows stood menacingly. One had a huge sword hefted on his shoulder.

"Zabuza…" Kakashi called into the mist. "Kakashi, this time, I'll finish you off," the Kiri nukenin replied. "Take the black-haired girl. The pink-haired one is useless so she'll probably be guarding the bridge builder, I'll handle them and Kakashi," Zabuza whispered to his apprentice. The apprentice nodded. "As you wish, Zabuza-sama."

Kakashi rattled off instructions, "Sayuri, take the accomplice, Sakura, guard Tazuna. I'll deal with Zabuza." "Hai!" both genins chorused and moved to their respective positions.

The mist thickened considerably before the sound of rapid footfalls echoed across the bridge. "Here they come!" Kakashi warned before heading off into the fog to face Zabuza.

Eerily, the footsteps disappeared. Sayuri turned just in time to block a strike from the accomplice's senbon. "You're mine," the fake hunter-nin said, voice devoid of emotion.

Sayuri launched a kick to his stomach, however the accomplice backflipped away. As he did, Sayuri took the chance to flash through hand seals. "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" A large fireball burst out of her mouth and flew towards the accomplice, who merely shot his hands out before him.

"Hyōton: Hyōgan Dōmu (Ice Style: Ice Rock Dome)!" Sayuri's eyes widened when a solid dome of ice materialised around the fake hunter-nin, shielding him from the blazing sphere of flames. When it dispersed, the ice was intact without even so much as a singe.

"Hyōton (Ice Style)? Is that a kekkai genkai?" Sayuri wondered. Her attention returned to the accomplice, who had opened a hole in the dome and was charging towards her.

The two engaged in taijutsu and it was clear that the fake oi-nin was faster. He grabbed the Uchiha's arm and formed one-handed hand seals with the other hand.

"Hijutsu: Sensatsu Suishō (Secret Jutsu: Thousand Flying Water Needles Of Death)," the accomplice uttered. Water in the air materialised into numerous thin icicles that closed in on Sayuri.

The Uchiha yanked her hand free and used her kunai to deflect all the incoming projectiles. After she was done, a powerful kick pushed against her chest, sending her crashing away.

The fake hunter-nin closed in on her and stomped on the ground where she was. Luckily, the Uchiha rolled away in time and recovered, swiping her kunai swiftly at the accomplice.

He burst into shards of ice, reappearing behind her. "Beware… Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōshō (Secret Jutsu: Demonic Ice Mirrors)!" he called. Multiple mirrors made of ice surrounded her in a house-like formation, preventing her escape.

In each mirror, there was an image of the fake hunter-nin. Sayuri growled. It was infuriating that he was so fast. She didn't want to pull her trump card this early, but if her fireball earlier was anything to go by, normal fire techniques wouldn't work on his ice.

"Sharingan," she uttered while channeling chakra to her optic nerves. Her ink black eyes flared with chakra which turned them into a bright vermilion hue. Around her black pupils was a ring with two spinning magatamas.

Suddenly, a wave of senbon rained down on her. Now being able to roughly track the senbons, she managed to fend off most of the senbons. Some still made it past her guard, though, and pierced her body.

But… she could finally see. It was not that there was one accomplice in each mirror, rather, the fake hunter-nin was moving so fast that he appeared to be in every mirror.

However, there was a restriction to her eyes. While she could now keep track of the enemy and see the senbons flying towards her, if her body was not fast enough, she still wouldn't be able to block them.

Experiencing her own painful death helplessly in slow motion was definitely not on her to-do list for today, nor any day for that matter.

So instead, she tried to shift positions to throw off his accuracy. Still, they were literally everywhere and it was quite hard to evade them all, given that she was trapped in this sadistic house of mirrors. Blocking them with her kunai was her only choice.

In the times where one slipped past her guard, it pierced through her delicate skin easily and stung like hell. Worse, they felt very cold and numbed the struck area slightly.

Her eyes widened when she saw Zabuza's accomplice shooting out from the mirror. Usually, he travelled along the mirrors but this time, he flew through the air right at her.

With Naruto, Earlier

The Uzumaki woke up and realised that Kakashi was gone from the room. When he checked, so was Sayuri and Sakura! Dammit, he overslept again.

He went downstairs to find them, but paused mid-step when he heard a commotion downstairs. "Don't kill my mum!" Naruto heard Inari cry.

"Haha gaki, we were given orders and we'll follow them. Perhaps we'll kill you first, have some fun with your mum, then kill her too," a man spoke.

Clearly, there was more than one due to the "we", but how many exactly? Naruto extended his sensory range and found four weak chakra signatures, one woman, a child, and two men.

Yes, he could even tell apart their gender and age based on their chakra signatures. They were weak as they were not shinobi, but civilians still had a small trace of chakra. Obviously, the woman was Tsunami and the child was Inari, meaning there were two enemies in the house. Based on their weak chakra presences, they were probably bandits.

Naruto could detect the fear and oppression in the environment - Kurama's negative emotions sensing. Well, it was time to step in.

Faster than they could see, two shadow clones appeared behind the two bandits and drove kunais into the base of their skulls. When they collasped, Tsunami shrieked in horror at the sight.

Naruto sighed as he walked down the stairs. "Sorry for the blood, but I have zero tolerance for rapists. If they were here, it probably means Zabuza is back to attack Tazuna-san. I have to go now."

In a burst of speed, he disappeared. When he neared the bridge, he noticed Zabuza's oppressive chakra laced throughout the air. Sakura and Tazuna felt fear. Sayuri… alarm?

He saw a formation of mirrors where Sayuri was in and another chakra signature, a female about the same age as them but slightly older. Her chakra was very special… a kekkei genkai, perhaps?

Right now, at his current speed, he saw her jumping out of one of the mirrors and lunging towards Sayuri with a senbon.

He ran into the mirrors and tackled the Uchiha to the floor before the person could even react. The enemy girl flew into the opposite mirror and remained there. Now that he had halted, he could not keep track of the girl's movements and it appeared as if she was in every single mirror.

Sayuri blinked in surprise before pushing him off. "Why are you here? Once you come in you can't get out," Sayuri whispered fiercely.

Naruto defended, "She was flying at you with a senbon and you appeared frozen there. I had to help!"

"Wait, she?" Sayuri asked in confusion. "Yes, she's slightly older than us and wields a kekkai genkai I think."

"How did you know?" Sayuri asked, bewildered that he had such information considering that he had just entered battle. "Now's not the time to explain. Focus on fighting her!"

"She's fast," the blond noted. "No shit. Too fast for me to avoid but I can track her movements," Sayuri replied as she eyed the accomplice. "The opposite is true for me. I have the speed to avoid her but I cannot see her in time."

"Alright then, I'll be your eyes and you'll be my body," Sayuri decided. Naruto nodded and raised a kunai.

The fake hunter-nin raised her eyebrow behind the mask. Then, she pounced. "Two o' clock!" Sayuri warned. Naruto swiped his hand outwards in the indicated direction and felt his kunai come in contact with the enemy's senbon.

With all his natural strength, he pushed back and sent the opponent flying back into the mirror. She then threw another senbon at them. "Five o' clock! Three o' clock! Eight o' clock! One o' clock! Eleven o' clock!" Sayuri relayed the visual rapidly.

Naruto was having a hard time keeping up, because he first had to register what she was saying, then associate it with the direction and then act out accordingly. It didn't help that she began spamming directions as soon as Zabuza's accomplice began rapidly launching senbons from random directions.

The moment their coordination faltered, was the moment the enemy struck. Like snow, the thin needles rained down on Naruto and he did not detect them in time.

Quickly, Sayuri performed a substitution and took his place. She braced herself as like a relentless blitz of snow, the thin needles pelted her, turning her into a pincushion for the thousands of senbons which pierced into her body.

"Sayuri!" Naruto cried as his teammate collasped to the floor. He kneeled down and propped up her back on his knee. "Why did you do that? You could've let me handle it!"

The Uchiha gave a dry laugh, even in her current state as blood dripped from her mouth. "There was no time… to think. My body… moved on its own, usuratonkachi." "And I promised myself that I would stay alive to kill Itachi… is this really the end?" she thought to herself.

Well, at least her death could be useful. "Fight on, Naruto... for me. Don't let your dream die." With those words, her eyelids closed shut and her body went limp. Naruto felt her pulse fade away.

The blond's eyes widened. His dream to be Hokage? Where was there time to think of that now when his own teammate was dying before his eyes… and no less for him, so that he could live on?

What kind of sick, twisted world did this kind of shit to him? Did he deserve it? Was there something he could do to change it? There had to be something!

The fake hunter-nin spoke, "She found a strength she never knew she had. Why? Because of a certain person who was precious to her. To save that person, she took his place knowing it was a trap. She was a true ninja, worthy of honour. Is this the first time you have seen a friend die in battle? This is part of what it means to be a ninja."

"SHUT UP! SAVE ME THE EULOGY… I'LL KILL YOU RIGHT WHERE YOU STAND!" Naruto roared in savage fury. His chakra was released, exposing his powerful chakra presence to the world. A large surge of wind radiated outwards from him and the stone floor beneath him cracked, almost shattering under the incredible pressure of his chakra.

"W-What is this chakra presence? It's so strong… nothing I've felt before!" Zabuza's accomplice thought.

"This chakra… the last time I felt it was from Sandaime-sama himself, and even then his was uncomparable to this! This is bad…" thought Kakashi worriedly.

"What… what is that massive amount of chakra and killing intent? It far surpasses mine in ferocity," Zabuza thought. The rage and the bloodlust was tangible in the air, making it hard to breathe.

Sakura and Tazuna were choking and trembling badly as a seemingly new entity altogether entered the battle.

"His chakra is getting increasingly potent! It's best to strike as soon as possible," the fake oi-nin thought and readied some senbons. She flicked her wrist, releasing the projectiles at Naruto.

The blond swiped his hand at the incoming projectiles and they shattered after coming into contact with his chakra. "What?!" the accomplice thought.

A yellow haori shrouded Naruto and four black orbs with purple glows floated behind his back. He gave a loud, bloodcurdling roar which pierced the ears of all who heard it. It shook the entire bridge and the ice mirrors shattered in a great explosion of chakra.

The fierce winds died down as Naruto looked up. His eyes were full of hatred for the one who ended Sayuri's life.

The accomplice shivered and realised something. "You are way stronger than me. I'm sorry I failed, Zabuza-sama… I'm nothing but a broken and useless tool now. End my life."

Naruto was slightly stunned by her thinking. "What kind of logic is that? You are not a tool, you are a shinobi in your own right."

The fake hunter-nin retaliated, "And that's what a shinobi is. A person who is a tool for the person who buys his services. Since I failed, I have no right to live. Now end my life."

Naruto was appalled. "That's not what a shinobi is! You are a person too, you have emotions and a personality. You do not deserve to die simply because you couldn't defeat an adversary stronger than you. That's stupid!"

Haku scoffed and tried to rile him up. "Is that how weak your will is? When you swore vengeance against me for your friend's death, were they just empty words?"

Naruto growled and cocked his wrist back. With a punch, he sent her crashing into the ground ten metres away.

She got up, her mask now shattered to reveal the face of Haku. "Come on. You can do better than that. Kill me! I deserve death for failing my master!"

She then heard the crackling of electricity a short distance away. Eyes widening, Haku suddenly said, "Wait. I still have a final use for my master."

An ice mirror formed beneath her feet and she dropped into it, disappearing.

With Kakashi, Earlier

"I should end this quickly. I don't like the feel of that chakra," the Konoha jonin thought, drawing a scroll from his vest and opening it.

He cut his thumb on a kunai in his open-bottomed kunai holster located on his flak jacket. He swiped the blood in a line across the middle of the scroll and sealed it shut.

Placing it between his thumbs and index fingers, he formed the hand seals: Tiger, Snake, Dragon, Dog. Slamming the scroll onto the ground, he uttered, "Kuchiyose: Doton: Tsuiga no Jutsu (Summoning: Earth Style: Fanged Pursuit Jutsu)!"

Activating the doton jutsu, lines of black kanji scrambled out of the scroll's ends and shot into the ground.

The scroll vibrated vigourously as it did so, until there were no more lines exiting it. Ten metres away, where Zabuza was, the lines burst out of the ground and in a flurry of smoke, revealed Kakashi's ninkens. An entire pack of hounds restrained the Kiri nukenin, allowing him to prepare his ultimate technique against Zabuza.

Forming the Ox, Rabbit and Monkey hand seals, Kakashi then brought his right hand palm up with his left hand clutching the other's wrist.

A circle of raiton chakra appeared around his feet, with electric charges shooting up to his right hand like the surface of a plasma ball when touched. It charged his ultimate and original jutsu, which was even stronger than its progenitor, the Chidori.

The S-rank raiton jutsu cackled loudly in his hand, the sound of the gathering of copious amounts of chakra. He slid his hand down and charged towards Zabuza, his Sharingan's vision already tunnelling and locking on its target.

"Raikiri (Lightning Blade)!" Kakashi yelled as he sprinted across towards the restrained nukenin. Suddenly, an ice mirror formed above the space before Zabuza.

From it, Haku dropped down and intercepted the assassination jutsu with her own body. Kakashi tried to stop, but it was too late as the Sharingan-piloted linear movement of the Raikiri disallowed him from veering off course from his target.

It shrieked like the call of a bird and pierced through Haku's chest, plunging deep into her lung cavity and destroying her heart with the influx of raiton chakra.

Zabuza smirked in satisfaction. "Looks like I found a useful tool." Naruto heard him and yelled, "Was that all you ever thought of her?! A tool?!"

"Hn," he replied and broke free of his ninken bonds. Hefting Kubikiribocho off his back, he pulled his sword arm back.

Alarmed, Kakashi thought, "He intends to take me out together with the child!" He drew Haku in close to his body and backflipped away just as Zabuza swung his sword at them.

When Kakashi landed, he put Haku on the floor and pulled his bloody hand out of her corpse. He placed two fingers on her eyelids and slid them shut.

"Gomeifuku wo inorimasu," Kakashi whispered, wishing her peace in the afterlife. Oh, if only he knew how the afterlife was.

He stood up and glared at Zabuza. "You disgust me." He threw two kunais which buried themsleves deep into Zabuza's left shoulder.

Angered, Zabuza charged at Kakashi, his left arm now limp from the injury. The Konoha jonin threw a right hook at his face and performed a spinning heel kick which sent him back.

Growling, the nukenin swung his sword horizontally, which Kakashi jumped up to avoid it. Then, he swung it down in a vertical chop.

It planted itself deep into the ground where Kakashi was earlier. The Konoha jonin appeared behind him in a shunshin and brought his hand to the swordsman's neck.

"You shall die now," Kakashi said without emotion.

"That's what you told me in the previous chapter," Zabuza muttered under his breath. "Pardon?" "Nothing."

Kakashi was about to strangle him when from the uncompleted end of the bridge, a man in a business suit clapped his hands. Surrounding him were dozens of his mercenaries.

"Well well well, looks like you couldn't even take care of a couple of Konoha-nin and an old geezer, Zabuza. But that's fine, because I never intended to pay you anyways," came the snobbish voice of Gato, "My plan was to let the Konoha-nin finish you off, and while they were all still weakened by you, have my henchmen kill the men and rape the women. Bwahaha, well, at least that bitch is dead."

Strolling over to Haku's corpse, he gave it a kick and stomped on her arm. "You…! I'll kill you!" Zabuza shouted with rage. A shroud of chakra emanated from him in the form of a purple demon.

"Sharingan no Kakashi, let's call a truce. I want to kill Gato and his men," Zabuza declared, "Give me a kunai."

Kakashi nodded and tossed one over to the nukenin, who clutched it between his teeth. Ditching the Kubikiribocho, he charged at Gato and his men with a savage cry.

Author's Notes:  
Whew! Thus concludes my longest chapter ever, at 7919 words! As you may have noticed, the jutsu names now have long vowels (the letters with the bars on top), this is my attempt to make it seem more authentic. However, there are too many Japanese terms used in the entire story, so I'll only edit jutsu names, same for the previous chapters. Also, if you were wondering what Naruto's chakra presence is like, look up the scene on YouTube where the four Hokage are reanimated. When Sasuke talks about vengeance on the Leaf, Tobirama lifts a finger and his chakra starts flying everywhere, scaring the shit out of the people who are still alive. Only Hashirama could stop him, and that was with an even bigger chakra presence that cracked the floor and ceiling. Why are they so badass xD? Well stay tuned and review!

Until tomorrow,  
Ja Ne


	6. The Leaves Return To The Tree

Asura's Transmigrant

Author's Notes: Sorry I am so so late, I wrote the chapter to 7000 words but lost the file during a factory reset! I had to rewrite everything and thus, it was overdue. Please forgive me :(

Chapter 6: The Leaves Return To The Tree

Previously:

Ditching the Kubikiribocho, he charged at Gato and his men with a savage cry.

There were no words to describe the ensuing carnage. It was simply this - a massacre. The Demon Of The Mist cut down every single henchman standing there.

Though some had time to slash or stab at him with their weapons while he was dealing with their colleagues, others were simply too intimidated to do anything as they were bisected by Zabuza's kunai.

Eventually, Zabuza reached the magnate, who was shivering in fear. The cornered Gato was literally between the devil and the deep blue sea, for Zabuza had him trapped right at the edge of the bridge.

"D-Don't kill me! I'll pay you!" Gato pleaded. The nukenin shook his head. "I grow tired of your lies, Gato. This is for Haku!"

With a single swipe, he disemboweled the tyrant while sending him down into a watery grave. Zabuza, too, was already extremely exhausted.

His various injuries began to take their toll on him as he strode weakly to Haku's corpse before collasping next to her. "Kakashi," he rasped out, gaining the attention of the nearby jonin, "I have a final wish. Bury me next to Haku."

The white-haired jonin nodded solemnly, watching as the swordsman passed away. The two would be buried with honour.

The gathered villagers cheered loudly, for Gato's monopoly had finally been broken. Naruto did not share the same sentiments, as once the adrenaline wore off, he remembered that his teammate had died for him.

His knees became weak when he came near the body of Sayuri. Her corpse was riddled with numerous senbons. Tears of sorrow filled his eyes before they dripped onto the peaceful face of his teammate.

Voice stricken with grief, he whispered, "You did not have to die. So why? Kami please tell me…" At the very least, she deserved a funeral as grand as Zabuza and his accomplice.

Her current state was not one Naruto would consider fit for burial. He started removing the senbons, one by one.

Suddenly, he heard a gasp. He halted his actions and listened carefully. Could he have been mistaken? There was no point in raising his own hopes only to have them shattered.

But unmistakably, Sayuri's chest was rising and falling slowly while she took in deep breaths. Her eyes snapped open, much to Naruto's surprise and relief.

"Sayuri!" Naruto cried happily, hugging the seemingly revived girl. Though the Uchiha was secretly enjoying the warmth of his embrace, she was starting to find it hard to breathe.

"Dobe," she choked out, "Can't. Breathe." "Sorry," said Naruto, releasing her from his grip sheepishly. A thought occurred to him before he entered Six Paths Sage Mode, utlising his Yang power to heal her wounds.

Instantly, it left him drained. It was him who collasped into her chest, making her sigh as she stood up slowly with the blond in her arms bridal style.

"Let's go back. I'm so done with this mission," Sayuri stated. Sakura could not help but agree. Kakashi was too tired to say anything and simply picked up the two corpses, carrying them along with him so they could receive a proper burial.

Within days, stories of Naruto's heroism spread far and wide across the country. His huge role in combating the tyranny of Gato and gathering the villagers through Inari was well-received by the population of Nami, who named him the Nami no Eiyu (Hero Of Wave).

The other members of Team 7 were celebrated as well, of course, but none as much as Naruto. "Only 12 and you've already gotten your first title, eh? You're really something, Naruto," Kakashi thought when he first heard of the news.

This moniker of his came in handy when he went to retrieve his swords days later. "Come in," came the voice of Shinho Akeba over sounds of hammering.

The blacksmith turned his head and noticed the blond enter his store. "It's you… you're Uzumaki Naruto, aren't you?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "How did you know? I do not believe I disclosed my name in our previous meeting."

Akeba chuckled. "Oh, who doesn't know your name these days? You're the Nami no Eiyu." Naruto took that tidbit of information in his stride and replied, "'My reputation precedes me' is the appropriate response, I suppose. Bleh, who am I kidding with all this formality? Let's get down to business, Shinho-san."

"That's more like it!" said the blacksmith as he took out two swords from his forge. The first was a chokuto which had a black scabbard and matching hilt, and was a larger size than a normal chokuto.

"This is what I call the Kusanagi no Tsurugi (Grass-Cutting Sword). Of course, it has none of the special properties granted by the legendary Kusanagi, but it is very durable and can cut through most things. Plus, the blade is made of chakra metal so the user can apply chakra flow," Akeba declared with pride, "I made it exactly as your friend requested it to be, so there should be no problems. As for yours…"

The second sword was pitch black with trims of grey, feeling evenly balanced when held. It had a black hilt connected to a hand guard that dropped down on the right side. Attached to this elongated area of the hand-guard was part of the blade which was completely black like the rest of the sword and outlined in a light grey. "This, I call the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi (Celestial Cloud-Gathering Sword), my greatest masterpiece yet," the master blacksmith announced.

Naruto sweatdropped. "That's a cool name and all, but is there something shorter?" The man thought for a while before replying, "You can also call it the Elucidator, for it cuts through even the thickest darkness to bring light. I'm not exaggerating, you could try."

Naruto shrugged and brought the sword to a dark corner of the store. Indeed, the blade itself seem to emanate a dim glow of its own. When swung, it eft behind a trail of light that could potentially blind enemies.

"Anyways, as for its properties, I made it such that it was heavy enough to be wielded by you but not others. Thus, it may feel balanced to you but it's pretty hard to use for someone else. Also, given its weight, there is a lot of momentum behind the swings, which is why I designed the handle to retain your grip and prevent it from flying away," Akeba explained, "The blade itself is extremely durable; I broke three anvils shaping it! The material is melded from adamantine and chakra metal, so it glows in reaction to your chakra and chakra flow works with it too."

"Thanks, Shinho-san. So how much for the two?" Naruto asked while returning the sword to its adamantine sheath.

"They are completely free of charge," the blacksmith said. Naruto replied, "These two are fine swords that can fetch a high price. I must pay for them, or it will be a waste of your time and effort."

Akeba shook his head. "Take them as gifts for your valiant heroism. If you truly wish to repay me, promise that you will use the swords for good like what you did for our country. Do this, and the swords will never fail you. Your debt will then be repayed."

Naruto opened his mouth, but then closed it in acceptance of his gifts. "Thank you Shinho-san. I will never forget this."

"Neither will I, for your service to my country. See you again."

Tazuna's House

"Yo Sayuri, here's your Kusanagi no Tsurugi!" Naruto shouted from downstairs. When the Uchiha's head peeked over the parapet, he tossed the chokuto up the stairs.

She caught the spinning sword and examined it as she descended the staircase. "It's a beautiful work of art. I'm gonna train with it now."

"Same for my sword," Naruto replied and they went separate ways into the forest. While Sayuri's aim was to integrate the sword into her Uchiha fighting style, the Interceptor Fist, Naruto's purpose was to learn as many moves as possible from Asura and then perfect each and every one.

Meanwhile, the bridge's construction was still under way, of course. Shadow clones dotted the huge bridge, providing security in case the remnants of Gato's mercenaries returned to finish the job.

Thankfully, no such thing happened and within four days, the bridge was finally completed. In accordance with their mission scope, they had to leave on the day of completion.

As for their mission pay, they were already paid fully for the A-rank as mysteriously, someone had left a huge sum of money with the villagers one day which amounted exactly to the money Gato took from them. Hmm… which blond was it who launched this covert operation? Till today, it still remains a mystery.

The villagers were sad to see them go and threw them a farewell party. The population of Nami was gathered to see them off, and also mark the occasion of the first people to set foot on the bridge and cross it.

"Naruto-niisan, I'll miss you," said Inari with tears in his eyes. Said blond replied while wiping away the child's tears, "Cheer up Inari, I'll be back one day."

"Promise?"

"Promise." They made a pinkie promise to seal the deal and with that, Team 7 set off. The villagers cheered as the Konoha-nin left Nami no Kuni on the newly finished bridge.

Tazuna witnessed the retreating backs of the people who had saved his country and smiled at the thought of the blond. "That boy changed Inari's heart… and Inari changed the people's hearts… That boy gave us a bridge to 'hope', called 'courage'. Bridge… oh yeah… we need to name this bridge. Well I have a perfect name for this bridge."

"Oh?! What is it?" Inari asked.

"How about... the Great Naruto Bridge?" Tazuna suggested. "Hehe, that's a good name!" Inari replied. The villagers present cheered in assent.

"This name is in hope that this bridge will never crumble… and will one day become a super famous bridge whose name…"

"… is known throughout the world."

Konohagakure

Upon arrival, Team 7 went to the Hokage's office as it was after 12 noon. In the morning till 12, the Hokage would be at the Mission Assignment Desk giving out D to B-rank missions. After 12, the Hokage would be at his office, clearing paperwork and giving out the occasional A or S-rank where security and privacy were paramount.

Thus, Team Kakashi found themselves being debriefed in the Third's office. After a lengthy report due to the upgrade of the mission ranking, they were finally dismissed.

"Sayuri, Sakura, shall we go for lunch together?" Naruto suggested. The pinkette shook her head.

"Sorry. My parents are waiting for me as the mission took longer than expected," the Haruno replied, walking away.

"What about you Sayuri?" Naruto offered.

The Uchiha responded, "Me neither. I have to go home and train." The moment she said that, his eyes lit up in excitement, making her regret her statement instantly.

"Can I train with you then?"

"No."

"Please…?"

"I said no," Sayuri rejected firmly.

The Uzumaki pouted and used his doggy eyes on her. "Just this once… pleaaaaase?" Seeing his irresistably cute expression, her resolve crumbled away.

Reluctantly, she finally said, "Alright, but don't mess up my house." Naruto gave a mental cheer as he succeeded with persistance.

The blond followed the Uchiha to the clan district. Along the way, the two were the object of the villagers' stares of disdain.

"Why is Uchiha-sama with that de-" "I cannot allow that brat to taint her!" "That boy does not deserve to stand on the same ground as the great Uchiha-sama." These were among the many mutters and whispers of the spiteful villagers.

Sayuri ignored them and said to Naruto, "Let's take to the rooftops. I don't like being watched by them like some procession."

Naruto nodded and in a blur, both appeared on the roof of the nearest building. Up there, it was peace and quiet with nobody to disturb them. The only people who they crossed paths with were other shinobi, and even they didn't bat an eyelash as they sped past them for they had urgent business of their own to settle.

Within two minutes of free running, the duo made it to the clan district. From there, the two teammates returned to the streets and arrived at the Uchiha clan compound.

It was a massive compound with cobblestone walls stretching far away in either direction of the main entrance. According to Sayuri, the compound was 7 hectares large. It was a big clan, after all.

The main gate was styled like the entrance to a shrine, with blue flaps hanging down from the top and the Uchiha crest emblazoned on them.

Sayuri pushed the two flaps aside and entered. From the gate, a rocky path led to a huge cluster of houses, the centre of which was the main house for the clan head where Sayuri resided. On either side of the houses, huge training grounds with trees growing everywhere were abound.

Sayuri opened the door and shed her boots. "Come in, don't track dirt into the house." Naruto complied and was awed by the sight of Sayuri's house.

It was a gorgeous traditional Japanese house, with sliding doors and shoji screens being a common feature.

She came to the kitchen and said, "Sit down. We need to have something for lunch so I'm making something. What do you want?"

"So you were gonna eat lunch before training," accused Naruto. Sayuri huffed and repeated her question.

"I dunno, ramen?"

"The Uchiha shook her head. "You know what, I'll think of something. Stay still while I cook." She went around the kitchen and checked the closets for ingredients.

After deciding what she wanted to make, she assembled the ingredients on the counter and pulled off an apron from a hook. With that, she got to work.

Naruto observed the girl in a daze as she moved efficiently about the kitchen, her apron swaying in the wind with her graceful footsteps. Her hips looked like they were sashaying on purpose, making her look incredibly sexy. Almost as if…

The blond slapped himself mentally. Had he really just thought of his teammate like that? But could it be… no, she hated his guts after all, with all the "dobe" and "usuratonkachi" thing going on.

He then heard a chuckle from within his mindscape. "Or so it may seem… she did save your ass twice in that Wave mission already, you know?" Kurama pointed out.

Naruto shook his head. "She's my teammate, saving me is just a regular thing we do for each other." The great fox gave a shrug. "Or so she may make it seem. Not that I favour Madara's transmigrant, just saying that there's more than meets the eye with that Uchiha girl."

This was the first time Naruto saw her as more than just a teammate but rather, a girl, and a girl with feelings at that. There was no more time to think, however, as Sayuri had finished making lunch and set the plates down at the table.

They were onigiri; balls of rice wrapped with seaweed and topped with katsuobushi (dried, fermented, smoked skipjack tuna).

Naruto eyed them suspicously, as he did for every food that wasn't ramen. "Are you sure this will taste nice?"

The Uchiha scowled at him as she sat down. "Just eat up, dobe. It won't kill you." That didn't do anything to assure him.

"Itadakimasu."

Skeptically, he picked it up and took a small bite. Flavour burst in his mouth and his eyes went wide. "It's delicious! I think I may have just found my second favourite food in the world."

Sayuri shook her head in amusement. "Of course it is. It is a special recipe passed down exclusively through the Uchiha clan-" Her voice faltered halfway as thoughts of her dead clan plagued her.

Naruto noticed this and looked up from his food. "What's wrong, Sayuri? Are you alright?" The girl shook off his concern and said, "Never mind. Let's just eat."

As soon as they finished, they jumped straight into training. First off was a light kenjutsu spar to assess each other's skills.

While Sayuri's attacks were more chained and fluid in transition as they originated from katas in the Interceptor Fist, Naruto's moves were much more isolated but deadly in their own right due to his speed and power.

As such, the Uchiha decided to teach Naruto some forms and stances as well as how to combine his movements. The Uzumaki, on the other hand, taught Sayuri how to improve and vary her strength and speed to confuse the enemy instead of sticking too much to the katas which would increase predictability should an enemy have encountered it before. Both agreed that precision was of utmost importance.

Next, was a normal spar to test each other's taijutsu and ninjutsu. Clearly, Naruto was more adept in taijutsu and even with the Sharingan, it was hard for her to predict his next move. They were chaotic but powerful as his namesake - maelstrom - suggested. Asura's fighting style, after all, was tailored to counter the powerful eyes of his older brother.

However, in ninjutsu, Naruto fell short. While the blond had a larger arsenal, Sayuri's techniques were more powerful in terms of destruction.

With such evaluations complete, they decided to exchange jutsus and katas. "I'll teach you the Uchiha Ryū: Higasa no Mai (Uchiha Style: Halo Dance), one of my clan's famous kenjutsu techniques. Most famously put to use by Shunshin no Shisui (Shisui Of The Body Flicker), a famous Uchiha. This jutsu involves chakra flow, so I suppose I'll have to teach you that first," Sayuri explained.

"Chakra flow refers to both the flowing of chakra through an object as well as any technique that increases the potency of a weapon by flowing chakra through it. Usually, elemental chakra is used to flow through bladed weapons in order to either dramatically increase their various pre-existing properties or to gain additional advantageous effects. The user must be touching the tool to initiate chakra flow, but direct contact with the weapon is not necessary to maintain chakra flow," Sayuri read from her clan scroll.

"Wind chakra is used in order to increase the sharpness of bladed weapons, so much so that in the hands of an experienced user even small blades are capable of piercing substantial rocks easily, leading to the assertion that this chakra is unparalleled offensively in close and mid-ranged fights. This effect is achieved by utilising two opposing chakra currents, which are ground against each other in such a manner that they sharpen one another into fine pieces. Understood?"

Naruto nodded.

"Lightning chakra, as applied to weapons, provides an increased cutting power similar to that of wind, with the addition of inducing numbness. However, this is instead achieved by inducing high-frequency vibrations within the object."

"Earth chakra seemingly increases the defensive power of an object to its utmost limits, by further reinforcing the inherent properties of the material involved. This results in the material becoming as hard as diamond and an increase in the overall destructive power of physical attacks."

"Fire chakra engulfs the desired weapon in intense localised flames, which follow the subsequent path of the object in question, incinerating anything which comes into direct contact."

"Lastly, water chakra, being a neutral element, has no known added properties when chakra flow is applied to a weapon. Unless you wish to lubricate yourself, I don't really see a point in applying suiton chakra to a weapon or yourself."

Naruto smirked. "Kinky."

Sayuri blushed. Ignoring his comment, she continued, "So, for the Halo Dance, it applies katon chakra flow to your sword. When released in the correct manner, swipes will create waves of flame which will fly at the enemy."

The blond boy soaked up the information like a sponge. After a demonstration, he replicated the movements but was unsuccessful in producing anything but a small flame.

Thus, the Uchiha deduced that his chakra control had to be fine tuned even further from his current level before he could move on to chakra flow.

They spent the rest of the day practising chakra control. In fact, for the next few weeks, after the daily D-rank mission, they would stay back together and keep on practising until they could bring both their chakra control to a suitable standard.

Certainly, mastery would take a long time but for now, his chakra control was adequate after 3 weeks of practising chakra control with shadow clones and just that. By then, he had completed approximately 5 years and 9 months worth of chakra control exercises due to his daily 100 shadow clone abuse.

Finally, he was able to move on to the technique itself. On the third try, he was able to produce a great coat of flames around his blade. It took another week of training before he finally managed to fling it with sufficient accuracy.

He was overjoyed upon completing the technique, so much so that he even treated Sayuri to ice-cream. He couldn't wait to use it on a mission in a real combat situation.

Naruto's prayers were answered when his team returned from yet another capture the demon cat mission.

"Dainanahan, it's been a month since your last *ahem* C-rank mission so this time, I'm assigning you guys another," the aged Hokage announced.

"Yatta!" Naruto cried. Sayuri and Sakura smiled too. It had been a while since they last had a proper mission and their combat skills were getting rusty.

"This mission was assigned by the Fire Daimyo himself, in the faith that we would be able to complete the mission without fail as with our track records. Thus, it is important that you do not fail for the reputation of Konoha is at stake. Is that clear?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Team Kakashi chorused. It was obviously an important mission if it involved the Feudal Lord of Fire Country. This was getting interesting.

"On to the mission details: the Fire Daimyo is holding his birthday party tomorrow evening. Many distinguished guests will be there as well, making it a huge target for any enemies wishing to eliminate the dignitaries present. Therefore, he has hired us for precaution to act as bodyguards, and particularly, one of the team members had to be able to play an instrument," Hiruzen briefed, "This is because he does not want to cause alarm to his guests. As such, he wants every bodyguard to be disguised as guests, with the one who can play the instrument disguised as one of the musicians present. Understood?"

"Team 7 nodded. "But who can play the instrument?" inquired Naruto. Blushing, Sakura raised her hand. "I play the shamisen."

The Hokage continued, "You are the only shinobi left in my force who can play an instrument and is not currently engaged in a mission. Thus, I chose your team for this mission. Besides, seeing how you guys handled the mission to Wave, I can tell that this genin team is far from ordinary in terms of combat prowess. In the rare event where a jonin is involved, I'm sure between your three special eyes, two healers and combined teamwork, you can deal with that. Am I wrong?"

Team 7 shook their heads.

"Good. So don't disappoint me, or the Daimyo. And since Madam Shijimi is already outside after collecting Tora, you guys are also to escort her back to the Capital. Dismissed!"

For the second time, Team 7 left the village. The entire way, Madam Shijimi was chatting about life in the Capital. Fortunately, they left their sensei to entertain the talkative woman.

By the time they arrived at the Capital, it was already 8 at night. First off, they stopped at the Fire Daimyo's Palace.

It was a lavishly decorated place, with the reception hall filled with fancy furniture and paintings that were perhaps used to start conversations on their acquisition.

The floors were carpeted with red velvet, leading to other rooms which were similarly decorated. In the main hall itself, a platform rose above the rest of the room where the throne was located. There, the feudal lord sat while awaiting the arrival of his guests.

It was in this very room that Team 7 bowed down to the supreme ruler of Fire Country, his only equal being the Hokage.

"Please rise," the Fire Daimyo requested. His wife had already departed from their group and went to her husband's side.

"As I'm sure Hokage-dono has briefed you guys, my birthday party tomorrow will involve many important guests. Therefore, I would appreciate if you guys disguised yourselves to be as inconspicuous as possible. Your faces are surely easily recognisable… Sharingan no Kakashi, Nami no Eiyu. Thus, I am giving you guys an allowance to buy the clothes you need. You can keep the clothes and whatever money is left."

"Thank you, Daimyo-sama," Team 7 chorused.

"For now, I have arranged for your accomodation at a hotel. Please rest well for tomorrow." With a bow, the team retreated after being given the address to the hotel.

"The Daimyo seems like a nice man. He even knew our monikers," Naruto said once they left the palace. Kakashi shrugged. "The Daimyo keeps close tabs on his shinobi."

They came to the address and found a grand hotel almost as luxurious as the palace. If they had to guess, it was for foreign dignitaries and other VIPs.

They were assigned a penthouse suite with two bedrooms and two beds each. Obviously, the males couldn't sleep in the same room as the females so they split themselves up by gender. It was a rather tiring day for everyone and so they hit the sack as soon as possible.

The Next Day

Naruto woke up to Kakashi shaking him vigorously. Seeing that his eyes were open, the jonin spoke, "Wake up, Naruto. Sakura and Sayuri are already waiting for us downstairs."

The boy sat up in the unfamiliar sheets and remembered that he was on a mission. Almost like a stark contrast to his earlier state, he leapt out of bed and into the bathroom.

As soon as he brushed his teeth and packed the bed, he left with Kakashi for the first floor where breakfast was held in a buffet style at the hotel's restaurant.

Sayuri and Sakura were already seated, having maple syrup pancakes. The two males got themselves two servings of the same food and sat down with the girls.

Between bites which seemingly passed through his mask, Kakashi ordered, "We shall begin planning after breakfast." The genins nodded in unison.

Team 7 returned to the suite and began planning. Kakashi took out a piece of paper and mapped out the main hall where the Feudal Lord's birthday party was to be held.

Marking the platform with a cross, he said, "Sakura, as one of the musicians, you'll be positioned here on the platform. This will give you a good vantage point of the guests. Check for any suspicious activity."

The pinkette nodded. Kakashi crossed one of the shoji screens positioned near the Daimyo's throne and continued, "I'll be standing here disguised as one of the Daimyo's butlers. If any of you three notice anything suspicious, signal to me and I'll relay the message to the others."

"What about us?" asked Naruto. "You and Sayuri will be disguised as a couple, one of the guests. This will allow you two to move freely among the crowd while remaining uninterrupted by any curious guest as you two are busy doing stuff couples do."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. The logic was sound, but it would be slightly awkward to work with Sayuri in that way. To his surprise, the Uchiha didn't complain and instead asked, "What is our attire?" Ever the practical one.

"I'll leave that choice up to you guys, but keep in mind that they must fit your role. Now let's go do some shopping," Kakashi replied. The four took the Daimyo's allowance and left the suite.

Later

Sakura got a pink floral kimono and a green obi to match. She performed a henge into an older woman who looked 25, resulting in a pretty mature and formal appearance.

Kakashi got a tuxedo for his butler role and combed his hair forward, such that he looked like his father - Hatake Sakumo, the legendary Konoha no Shiroi Kiba (Konoha's White Fang) said to be on par with the Densetsu no Sannin (Legendary Three Ninja).The two left first as they were to be at the party preparing beforehand.

Naruto had acquired a black coat with an indigo, long sleeved, collared shirt, over which was a grey vest. He also donned black pants, a purple belt, and dark blue finger-less gloves. Concealed beneath the coat was the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi. To fit his clothes, he applied a henge to look like what he possibly would appear like in the future.

As for Sayuri, she bought a simple strapless black dress for the party, applying a henge to look like an older version of herself as well. Being a female Uchiha, she was already blessed with natural beauty, but seeing her gorgeous body was just too much for Naruto. For Kami's sake she looked like Mikoto, who was a pretty hot lady herself.

The Uchiha noticed him checking her out and scowled. "What are you staring at, dobe?" Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and blurted out, "Nothing… you just look very beautiful Sayuri-chan."

A faint blush tinted the girl's cheeks. She teased back, "Is that right? Well, you're pretty handsome yourself, Whiskers-kun."

She drawled out the nickname and was rewarded with an embarrassed expression on Naruto's face. Perhaps he was sensitive about his whiskers?

Whatever the case, they were about to be late for the party if they did not leave now, for it started at 5. Sayuri spoke, "C'mon, the party is about to start. Remember: keep your eyes on the enemy."

The blond nodded firmly as he locked the suite door behind them. He then offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

The Uchiha took it and both strode to the palace, where an unknown enemy lay ahead.

Author's Notes:

Sorry I know this chapter sucked. I originally wrote this to 7k words, even reaching the mission climax but I lost the file during a factory reset and couldn't afford to delay you guys any longer. Next chapter should be out pretty quick as well since I have already wrote it out before, but I still have to add more exciting stuff after this mission, so please be patient. Stay tuned and review!

Until tomorrow,  
Ja Ne


	7. Team Photos And The Spiralling Sphere

Asura's Transmigrant

Chapter 7: Team Photos And The Spiralling Sphere

Previously:  
The Uchiha took it and both strode to the palace, where an unknown enemy lay ahead.

When they arrived, many other guests were already present. They spotted Kakashi and Sakura easily, their watchful eyes scanning the crowd.

The Haruno was strumming a slow tune on her shamisen, accompanied by other musicians' instruments. Most of the crowd started dancing to this song, as did Sayuri and Naruto.

As they waltzed, they kept a close lookout for any suspicious activity. The other guests appeared to be civilian as well, and were stately in appearance. Ambassadors, perhaps? Naruto's right hand was on her back, his left hand clasping her right. His observant blue eyes watched the other guests around them carefully, noting their positions especially those nearer to the Daimyo.

The blond took a step back, and Sayuri followed, peering to her sides. She then let go of her left hand which was around his neck and spun around in a circle, making use of this to observe her surroundings.

When she completed her spin, Naruto pulled her close to his body and whispered, "Anything?" She shook her head and the two stepped away from each other to their original stance. They and other dancing couples stepped aside as seven parasol dancers entered the hall in an orderly fashion.

They lined up in front of the platform with their beautifully crafted parasols and began to dance to the music, which Sakura played to blend in with the harmonious tune of the koto.

Naruto's attention was now on them. They were all aged roughly twenty to thirty, and were all in perfect physical condition as well for their age.

They danced and leapt gracefully into the air, without so much a stumble or a slip. Their steps were light and quick, their movements all in perfect synchronisation.

The blond Uzumaki raised an eyebrow. How strange for a civilian group to be so good in both performance and balance.

Strange indeed. What gave them away, was their chakra signatures. One jonin and six chunins. Naruto grabbed Sayuri by the waist and pulled her in close to an intimate embrace as the music reached a crescendo.

Blood rushed to her cheeks, turning them rosy red. She could feel Naruto's warm breath by her ear as he whispered, "The dancers. They are too good for civilians, the one in the middle has jonin chakra reserves while the rest are chunin-level in chakra. Inform Kakashi."

The Uchiha girl nodded. Her eyes fleeted to Kakashi's, flashing red momentarily as she gestured her Sharingan towards the dancers.

The disguised jonin nodded in understanding and relayed the message to Sakura. A final test to see if they were really shinobi.

Getting the signal, the Haruno suddenly picked up her strumming pace, the tempo six times faster than before.

Impossibly, the parasol dancers kept up their performance without a single slip-up. It was at this moment that the lead dancer leapt at the Fire Daimyo.

The hall spun into absolute chaos as Kakashi jumped from the shoji screen to intercept the jonin, fending the woman off with a kunai.

The rest of Team 7 sprung into action, dropping their henges. Naruto noticed a chunin about to stab Madam Shijimi and dashed towards him at top speed. All the young man saw was a blur before he was blitzed, sent crashing into the wall by Naruto's kick.

Said wall echoed with a boom when the chunin slammed into it, creating small cracks around him. Naruto spawned shadow clones to evacuate the Daimyo, his wife and the guests.

The enemy ninja coughed up blood as internal injuries began to show. He managed a swing at the blond, but the Uzumaki evaded it easily by ducking below his arm.

When Naruto stood up, he rammed his fist at the man's cartilage, shattering it from within. This forced the chunin to bend forward in pain. The blond made use of this to strike at the opponent's neck, rupturing his windpipe.

The chunin lowered his head reflexively, allowing Naruto to land the final blow with extreme precision - at the top of his head, the nerve centre of the body. This killed him instantly. The Uzumaki moved on to the next opponent, who was about to attack Sakura.

With one hand on the man's collar, Naruto tugged the man back while reaping his legs from underneath him.

Said chunin fell on his hands but used the momentum to spring back. The two then engaged in taijutsu.

Naruto spun round, confusing him and then launched a tornado kick. The chunin sidestepped it, but the Uzumaki jumped up and switched to his other leg. This unexpected manoeuvre caught the chunin by the face.

Less force was put into this counter, so the chunin only stumbled back though his face felt like it was burning. Some of his teeth had already been kicked out.

Naruto latched onto the man momentarily and hurled him skyward. His hand went beneath his coat, where Elucidator waited in its sheath.

He lunged at the man while drawing the sword and called, "Uchiha Ryū: Higasa no Mai!" As Naruto performed the Halo Dance technique, the sword burst into flames in response. Fire chakra engulfed the sharp blade, creating a veritable coat of white-hot flames.

Naruto executed a lateral slash despite not being in range of the opponent. To the enemy's shock, a wave of flames left the blade and flew in his direction.

In his vulnerable position mid-air, there was nothing he could do to prevent his fiery death. In a spectacular explosion, his body was charred to ashes.

Meanwhile, a chunin tried to sneak up behind Sayuri with her sword drawn. Poor choice, because when the Uchiha whirled around, her eyes were glowing a vermilion red with two tomoes spinning hypnotically.

"Iatsu: Sharingan (Coercion: Sharingan)," Sayuri whispered. A glazed look appeared in the woman's eyes as she was forced to obey the Uchiha's will.

She cut down a nearby teammate, whose guard was down as he did not expect his own teammate to attack him.

He collasped to the floor as the woman regained her will. "What have I done…?" the chunin cried, and looked back at Sayuri with a glare.

The Uchiha was unfazed, however, activating another genjutsu on the woman. "Magen: Hyakki Yakō (Demonic Illusion: Hundred Demon Night Parade)."

In her mind's eye, the chunin's surroundings turned a blood red. The dead bodies of her comrades were scattered across the floor, their entrails feasted upon by demons with vicious grins. She appeared to be in some kind of alley as demons closed in on her from every side with no way to escape.

Her body seemed to be consumed in some black fire, her flesh burning away. The demons sank their hands into her skin, ripping out organs of every biological system and shoving them into their mouths greedily to satiate their voracious appetite.

The chunin let out a scream of absurd horror. Finally, Sayuri released the nightmarish genjutsu, letting the enemy collapse to the floor. The traumatised chunin killed herself to end all this madness.

Her eyes locked onto the final target just as Naruto was dealing with his last opponent. She weaved multiple hand seals and initiated Kakashi's signature technique.

The sound of birds chirping was unmistakable as Sayuri sprinted towards her target. "Chidori!" the Uchiha yelled, plunging the A-rank assassination jutsu into the woman's chest.

Her raiton chakra-covered hand penetrated the enemy's skin easily, puncturing her lung cavity. Sayuri grabbed the chunin's shoulder with her right hand and used it to pull out her left, which was now dripping with the chunin's blood.

The opponent crumpled to the floor, not even a match for the Chidori. Kakashi had already dealt with the enemy leader - the jonin who had attempted attacking the Fire Daimyo earlier. The hall was now empty except for the four of them and seven corpses lying around.

Kakashi sighed. "Yet another C-rank turned A-rank. Good job, you guys. You all each took on three chunins by yourselves." Sakura lowered her head in embarrassment.

"I didn't do anything," she confessed. Kakashi shook his head. "Because you couldn't. Your capabilities are that of a medic, so you aren't really expected to take part in the battle. Your job lies afterward."

Relieved, Sakura smiled. She healed Kakashi and Sayuri's injuries, which were only minor scrapes in the midst of battle.

Naruto, on the other hand, didn't require any healing as any damage he took had healed within seconds. Whenever a cut occurred, steam just rose from the wound as it closed without leaving a scar.

Said blond ordered his shadow clones to bring the Daimyo and the others back. The party resumed successfully without any interruptions. At the end of it, the feudal lord was pleased by Team 7's performance.

"I'm glad I hired you guys," the Daimyo praised gleefully, "I'll pay you for an A-rank. You can stay one more night at the hotel."

Once again, Team 7 bowed and thanked the ruler of Hi no Kuni. They returned to the penthouse suite and had a good night's rest.

After an uneventful but hearty breakfast, the four departed the Capital for Konoha. Along the way, Kakashi mentioed that they had yet to take their team photo so they would do so later in the afternoon.

Hokage's Office

"Again?!" Hiruzen exclaimed incredulously. "Hai, Hokage-sama," Kakashi confirmed. The Hokage joked, "What rotten luck. I may have to ban your team from ever taking C-ranks."

Naruto's eyes widened in mock horror. "You can't possibly be serious! I'm not catching Tora for the rest of my life!"

The room burst into laughter.

"Alright, jokes aside, I heard you guys are taking your team photo later. Do look presentable as this photo will be a valuable possession in the future," Sarutobi informed.

"Thank you for the advice, Hokage-sama," Sakura replied. Soon after, they were dismissed and told to change into their best, cleanest outfit possible and meet at the Academy at 2.

As such, Team 7 decided to first they would first go for lunch before adjourning till 2. It was a mostly quiet affair as there was nothing to talk about.

Naruto was holding a ramen eating contest with himself. Much to his teammates' shock, he managed to finish 30 bowls before feeling bloated.

Sayuri shook her head in amusement while Sakura just laughed at his ridiculous antics. Kurama scowled from within the mindscape.  
"You're lucky I'm here to help you digest all that crap. If it wasn't for me you'd have vomited over thirty times by now."

"Thanks then, furball. And don't call my ramen 'crap', it's food of the gods okay?" Naruto retorted.

Kurama roared at the demeaning nickname. He was the strongest of the Bijuu, dammit. It wouldn't kill the kit to show some respect.

Meanwhile, Asura stood in one corner, sweatdropping at the conversation.

"Come on, we don't wanna be late. We have 45 more minutes!" Sakura exclaimed. Naruto nodded and stood up slowly, still feeling overly stuffed.

Sayuri took notice and sighed. "Honestly, dobe. Slow down on that eating next time if you don't wanna kill yourself."

Naruto gave her an offended look. "I can handle it just fine, Sayuri-chan. No amount is too much when it comes to the food of the gods."

The Uchiha gave another exasperated sigh, one of helplessness and defeat. "Whatever you say, Whiskers-kun."

In a blur, she disappeared. Naruto shrugged and did the same, leaving Sakura to go home. Well, at least his nickname was changed to something more pleasant than "dead last".

When they rendezvoused at the Academy entrance, Kakashi brought them to a classroom to have their picture taken.

They were all dressed in their usual shinobi gear, with Kakashi in his jonin vest, Naruto in his black jacket, Sayuri in her blue Mandarin gown and Sakura in her usual red qipao.

The photographer arranged them the way he saw fit; by tradition, Kakashi - as the sensei - stood behind. Sakura was wearing a light colour so she was positioned in front of Kakashi, while on her left was Naruto and her right was Sayuri as both were dressed in relatively dark colours.

"Hai, chizu!" the photographer said. "Chizu!" All team members said in unison. Sakura and Naruto were the only ones who were really into it. Kakashi, having his mask on, didn't smile but instead gave one of his "eye smiles". Sayuri couldn't actually smile genuinely since she lost that emotion long ago. Instead, she offered a half-hearted smirk that appeared even less happy than she would've with her normal expression.

And thus, their expressions were immortalised in that photograph forever. "Alright, I have your photo. I'll have it developed and will send it to the Hokage's office where you can collect it tomorrow."

"Arigato," said Kakashi before turning to his team, "Dainanahan, you all are dismissed until tomorrow, meet at the usual time and place."

Team 7 nodded and began to disperse. However, the white-haired jonin tapped Naruto's shoulder and said, "Follow me."

The blond raised an eyebrow but complied with his sensei's instructions. He was brought to Training Ground 3, where Kakashi ground to a halt.

"Sensei, why did you bring me here?" asked Naruto. "Long story short - I'm going to teach you a new jutsu."

The Uzumaki's eyes widened. "Yes! What jutsu is it?" Then his excitement subsided as he asked in suspicion, "Wait… it's not going to be another C-rank fire jutsu, is it?"

Kakashi chuckled. "No worries. On the contrary, I'm actually going to teach you my sensei's signature technique." "And your birthright," he added mentally.

Naruto thought back to the time after the bell test, where Kakashi talked about the previous Team 7s. "Your sensei… he was the Yondaime?" Naruto said in realisation and shock upon recalling.

The cyclops nodded. "Indeed. And today, I shall teach you one of the jutsus he invented. It's called the Rasengan, the pinnacle of shape transformation."

"Before that, not that I'm ungrateful, but why are you teaching me this?" Naruto asked curiously. He did not want to be favoured over his teammates as it would be unfair for Kakashi to show such favouritism.

The jonin replied, "That's because I've taught Sayuri my Chidori. It would only be fair if I taught you the Rasengan. As for Sakura, she's not a ninjutsu type for her chakra reserves are insufficient, so don't worry about her. I have my own plans for her."

Naruto nodded in acceptance. "Alright, let's get started! The Rasengan does not require any hand seals to use, relying only on the chakra control of the user. Once it is complete, it becomes self-sustaining, which does not give the Rasengan a definite limit like my Chidori."

"The compacted nature and moving speed of the chakra allows the Rasengan to grind into whatever it comes in contact with to inflict major damage. This tends to launch the target spiralling backward after being hit or, if the target is lying on or being launched to the ground, the destructive force is enough to form a crater."

Naruto was overjoyed. This would probably be his ultimate technique, considering its massive damage and lack of hand seals.

"I can tell you this: it is definitely superior to the Chidori, and can be even more powerful. My sensei intended to add his nature affinity to it, however he died before he could do so. I tried adding my raiton chakra, but was unable to. Instead, I took the basic idea and created the Chidori, resulting in a less powerful jutsu," Kakashi explained, "Understand so far?"

"Yup."

"Also, because the Rasengan requires a high level of shape transformation, mastering the technique also grants a person mastery of shape transformation, even if the person isn't aware of its concepts."

"That's awesome!" Naruto marvelled, imagining the things he could do after mastering shape transformation.

"Let's not get ahead ourselves. First, I'll give you a demonstration." Kakashi stretched out his right hand, clutching its wrist with his other hand.

With a burst of concentration, chakra materialised in the air above his hand and swirled towards a single point, amassing into an increasingly large orb. Finally, the sphere was the size of small beach ball and stopped increasing in size, stabilising.

"The Rasengan is basically your raw chakra rotating wildly at extreme speeds, and compressing the energy, so these three things are important to learning the Rasengan: rotation, power, and stability. Simple?"

Naruto nodded. "So how do I learn rotation? It is shape transformation, right?"

"Indeed. To first start learning rotation, you will need a spherical shell to spin your chakra in so that it will create an orb. To complete this, it is also crucial for you to understand that your chakra rotates naturally in one direction. Thus, all you need is to envision your chakra spinning in the palm of your hand in that direction, and applying it all around the shell in order to achieve the rotation required for Rasengan."

"Eh? Okay then. What should I use?"

"A water balloon," stated Kakashi, who brought out a couple of those and a pail. With a small suiton jutsu, he filled the pail and used it to fill the balloons.

"Burst it with your chakra."

He did as told, closing his eyes and imagining the rotation of his chakra. Instantly, he could feel the water swirling inside as it was pushed around by his chakra entering the ball.

However, though the water within spun rapidly, the balloon merely wobbled, not anywhere close to exploding.

"I still need to apply the rotation all around the balloon…" thought Naruto. Suddenly getting an idea, he placed his left hand over the balloon, such that both hands were now fully gripping it.

"Now!" Chakra flowed from his hands and entered the ball from all sides, spinning wildly. The water within swirled crazily as his chakra was spinning everywhere. With no proper direction, the water inside pushed and stretched the balloon in all directions before finally, the rubber sphere could take no more.

With a loud pop, the watet balloon burst and scattered its contents across the grassy floor.

"Wow, Naruto. I must say, your chakra control was superb… I can't believe you got the first step down so quickly," Kakashi commented.

Naruto thoughts went back to the time when he had trained with Sayuri to learn chakra flow. In order to do so, he practically had to master chakra control which he did after spamming shadow clones amounting to five years and nine months of chakra control training.

"So, what's the second step?" Naruto asked excitedly. "The next step is bursting a thick rubber ball, roughly 100 times tougher than the water balloon. This emphasises power as your chakra has to be denser and more powerful in order to break the thick rubber. Additionally, there is only air inside and no water to aid you in bursting it, so power is of utmost importance in this stage of the Rasengan."

The blond took a white rubber ball from Kakashi and tried to do the same. However, as expected, his chakra was unable to penetrate the ball as easily as it did the water balloon.

"Denser chakra… well, density is mass over volume, so there should be less chakra used while maintaining the power. So this step is all about chakra control, too…" Naruto thought. He focused extremely hard, making the tendrils of his chakra thinner but inevitably, it also decreased the power as well.

He tried creating shadow clones to hasten the process, but even then, it wasn't until three days later that he figured out the secret.

Naruto remembered that on the day he fought on the bridge, he had released chakra so dense that it cracked the floor.

So now the key was using the same chakra but making it thin enough to seep into the rubber ball. Another D-rank mission, he picked up a rubber ball from Kakashi and tried out his theory.

With a determined cry, Naruto flared his chakra and sent it towards the ball. The powerful mix of energies surrounded the ball, but only squeezed it from outside like a squashed ping-pong ball.

He pictured his chakra sharpening to a point. Like he did three days ago, it happened successfully but this time, the power did not decrease.

In fact, decreasing the surface area to allow it to seep into the ball only served to increase its pressure, thus maintaining its power as it siphoned into the rubber ball.

His potent chakra surged into the ball, almost as thin as needles but offering a high amount of power as compared to the almost lackadaisical manner in which it swirled water within the water balloon during the first step.

"Now, to burst it…!" Naruto cried. He could feel his chakra manipulating the air within, creating strong currents which pushed against the rubber shell.

As with the first step, he recreated the rotation by envisioning it. "Concentrate!" he screamed. His chakra coalesced into a single point in the ball, creating a white core which expanded outwards.

The rubber ball began vibrating wildly. Finally, the rubber could not stretch any further and the ball was shredded to pieces by the powerful force within, which had also fleeted away once there was no shell to contain it. After all, it had not been stabilised, which was the final step.

"Impressive, Naruto. Really. The second step usually takes weeks to learn, but your chakra is simply different. It's powerful enough and your chakra control was also sufficient to manipulate it up to this point. However… we'll have to see about that with the final step, which requires as much chakra control as you can muster. If you can make it, you will then be able to create a Rasengan, though improvement will be a later concern," Kakashi explained.

"Well, don't leave me hanging! What is the final step?" Naruto asked.

"The final step is to do this," said Kakashi, holding up a normal balloon. Naruto watched him intently for his next move, however nothing happened.

"Eh?! What do you mean by 'this'?" questioned Naruto. Kakashi explained, "While it may seem that nothing is happening, let me show what is going on within the balloon with my other hand."

He held up his left hand palm up. Out of nowhere, chakra appeared and swirled into a blue orb with a whistish core. The chakra was rotating at increasingly high speeds, yet the power was compressed within the sphere, maintaining a perfect shape.

Naruto was awed. "Amazing… he's doing the same thing inside the balloon but it's not even vibrating? I see now… the final step is to stabilise the orb and control the power and rotation of the first two steps."

The blond took the balloon. The instant he tried, the balloon burst in an explosion of chakra. Kakashi took a look and remarked, "Try to imagine a layer between the balloon and the Rasengan. Once you can do this, you will have learnt the Rasengan and mastered shape transformation."

Understandably, the pinnacle of shape transformation would take a lot to achieve. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Hundreds of shadow clones appeared in the training ground, each grabbing a balloon. As Kakashi knew that it would take quite a while, he left Naruto to his own devices. He had business of his own to settle.

The blond Uzumaki was trying so hard, yet no matter what he did, it was seemingly impossible to perform the feat.

"To do this, I'll need to concentrate. More than I ever have before," thought Naruto. He gripped the ball firmly in his right hand.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and concentrated. He could feel his chakra flowing into the balloon, rotating and swirling rapidly to form an orb. It spun powerfully, and when its size was fully developed, it shook the balloon uncontrallably.

Naruto couldn't decrease its power, for that would defeat the purpose of the second step. He would have to contain it.

He imagined, all that power compressed within a perfect sphere, just millimetres thinner than the balloon in diameter. But it just burst, like the hundreds of other balloons in that training ground.

"Kit, the more shadow clones you make, the more your concentration is split. Just like your chakra and your soul, your mental energy is also split up among your shadow clones. For this last stage, it's best to do it alone or at most, one shadow clone," Kurama advised.

Naruto mentally thanked the fox before dispelling every single shadow clone save one. He nodded to his remaining copy and both got to work stabilising the second-stage Rasengan.

Both repeated the steps they performed earlier. Naruto focused as hard as he could, compressing the power and rotation within into a ball. This time he could concentrate better with only one clone, but it still wasn't enough. Just as he was about to lose it, he dispelled the shadow clone.

A wave of mental energy passed right through him, calming him and granting him the focus he needed. With a roar, the chakra spiralling within the balloon took on the perfect spherical shape of the Rasengan.

The balloon did not move an inch. "Yatta! I did it 'ttebayo!" Naruto cheered. He discarded the balloon and brought his right hand in front of his eyes.

At the thought, wisps of chakra materialised above his hand. The visible, blue mix of energies swirled in the air before converging into a white core as it spun. The chakra rotated quickly, in high pressured streams that powered the orb. The sphere grew increasingly large, to the size of his head before stopping.

The sphere was a blur of rotating chakra which emanated its own light. With a triumphant cry, Naruto drove it at the nearest tree.

"Rasengan!" The A-rank jutsu grinded deep into the wood before Naruto released it, causing the compressed energy to disperse in an explosion which destroyed part of the trunk and the tree to collaspe.

A certain Uchiha watched the blond with mirth. So she wasn't the only one with a powerful technique in her team anymore.

With Kakashi

The jonin was at a conference with other jonins, held in the presence of the Hokage and his advisors at the Council Chambers.

"Well then, let's begin this meeting. I'm sure you all know the purpose of this meeting, so let's not waste any time. Who wants to nominate their genins for the upcoming Chunin Exams?" Hiruzen asked.

One by one, jonins of various seniority nominated their teams. Some senseis kept silent as they believed their team was not ready. Others proudly declared their team's genins were ready for the Exams.

"I, jonin Maito Gai, nominate Rock Lee, Hyuga Neji and Tenten for the Chunin Exams!" the overzealous taijutsu specialist yelled.

"Noted. Next?" Hiruzen asked.

"I, jonin Yuhi Kurenai, nominate my genins Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba and Hyuga Hinata for the Chunin Exams," the Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha stated.

"Alright. Next."

"I, jonin Sarutobi Asuma, nominate Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji and Yamanaka Ino for the Chunin Exams."

The Sandaime took down his son's nominees before looking at the last jonin in the room who had not given his opinion.

"Kakashi?"

The white-haired man looked up at being addressed and said calmly, "I, jonin Hatake Kakashi… nominate my genins Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sayuri and Haruno Sakura."

Cries of outburst were heard throughout the room when Naruto's name was given, especially next to the last Uchiha's.

"Silence!" Sarutobi ordered, and the room quitened down. An advisor, the elder Shimura Danzo spoke, "Jonin Hatake, do you realise what nominating the Uchiha implies?"

Kakashi nodded solemnly. "I fully understand the consequences of nominating her should she pass, elder Danzo."

Hiruzen continued, "Very well then, that concludes this conference. A gentle reminder to all participating teams: the Chunin Exams are in three months. Do prepare your genins well for this exam as it will also be a show of Konoha's standards. Is that clear?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

"Dismissed."

The white-haired jonin mused quietly as he exited the room, wondering if he had made the right choice for his student.

The Next Day

"Listen up, kiddos. I've nominated you all for the Chunin Exams. Of course, it is up to you individually if you wish to enter," Kakashi said while flipping a page in his favourite book.

"But we have to enter in three-man teams, don't we? If one of us decides not to enter I doubt the others can still go," Sayuri said.

The jonin sighed as he looked up from his book. Her intelligence would be the death of him.

"That's right, so if you want to go, everyone else has to agree," Kakashi responded, "No pressure though." Within three seconds, the genins of Team 7 reached a unanimous decision.

"We're in!"

The sensei gazed approvingly over the top of his book. "Good. The Chunin Exams are in three months time so we will prepare in the mean time. Today will be teamwork. Tomorrow is ninjutsu, the day after will be genjutsu and the following two days will be taijutsu. The sixth day will be spent studying and recuperating while Sunday will be your mission day with a C-rank to test your skills and the rest of the day will be your own. The next day, a new week will start and the cycle repeats. Apart from Sunday, expect to get home late and bring lunch because you won't be leaving the training ground for any reason.

The genins nodded and committed the schedule to memory. "Before we begin, Sayuri, the council has requested your presence by 9 in the morning. It's already ten minutes to nine so get going, we'll start without you."

Ironic considering the training was teamwork, but whatever. She supposed it was some Uchiha business.

Advisors' Room, Council Chambers

The Uchiha was let into the room, where the Hokage and his three advisors sat on sofas around a coffee table. The aged Hokage gestured for her to take a seat.

Adjacent to the Hokage, there was Shimura Danzo seated on one sofa. Hiruzen's former teammates Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu sat on another sofa opposite Danzo's. Between the three advisors was the Hokage himself, and it was opposite him that the last Uchiha sat down.

She steeled her nerves. "If I may ask, why am I here, Lord Hokage?" Hiruzen replied, "You have agreed to participate in the Chunin Exams, no?"

Sayuri nodded. This time, Danzo spoke with what appeared to be a malicious grin.

"Then you should know. We are here to discuss the enactment of the Nidaime Hokage's Clan Restoration Act."

Author's Notes:  
Whew! That was a tough plot thickens with the CRA in action! Guess what happens next… I can't wait to write the Valley Of The End though it's so far away. Stay tuned and review as well as merry Christmas in advance!

Until tomorrow,  
Ja Ne


	8. CRA, Emotions And New Foes

Asura's Transmigrant

Chapter 8: CRA, Emotions And New Foes

Previously:  
"Then you should know. We are here to discuss the enactment of the Nidaime Hokage's Clan Restoration Act."

"Clan Restoration Act?" Sayuri repeated. She could see where this conversation was headed; so it was Uchiha business after all.

"Hai. The CRA is a law passed by the Nidaime to help prevent the extinction of clans, especially those with kekkai genkai, hiden ninjutsu or any other thing like that passed down through a clan," Homura elaborated.

"How?" the Uchiha asked, though she already had a feeling she knew the answer.

Koharu answered, "When the clan only has one member left, as soon as he or she is a chunin or turns 18, the person will be made clan head. If the scion is a male, he will have a harem of wives to produce offspring for the clan. The women will then be part of the clan as well."

"If the scion is a woman… well, she will be forced to mate with several men to increase the chances of impregnation. Otherwise, she will have to go through insemination."

Sayuri gritted her teeth. Things were looking bad for her future. The last thing she wanted was to be treated like a breeding machine. Or worse, an animal if insemination was anything to go by. Her first child was supposed to be born by love, not duty to restore her clan, dammit!

She refused to have her husband be some random old pervert who signed up just to bang the last Uchiha. She… she wanted Naruto to be the father of her children.

Not for the first time, she realised how badly she loved and needed the blond Uzumaki. Hiruzen watched her reaction with concern, knowing she would have objections.

"W-What if I refuse?"

Danzo replied almost instantly, and harshly, "You cannot fight the law, girl. If we have to, we will lock you in a cell and bind you to a wall where every day you'll have sex till you are impregnated. The first male to successfully impregnate you will be your husband." Sayuri eyes widened. The Hokage glared at Danzo for such a response, silently chastising him for putting such a burden on the teenager. It was practically amounting to rape except that it was legal.

Tears welled up in her eyes but she would absolutely die before she would allow herself to show weakness before the elders.

"… I see. Thank you for your time." She quickly dismissed herself from the room and ran home with her emotions bottled up. She didn't even have the heart to return to training, once she came home she just broke down and sobbed uncontrallably.

"Are you sure that was the right move, Danzo?" Hiruzen asked worriedly. Her loyalties were already loose, knowing her desire for vengeance. To add on to that with the CRA might just be the proverbial last straw that would cause her to leave the village.

"You're too soft, Hiruzen. I'll keep track of her to ensure she doesn't try to leave the village," the elder spoke before standing up. He left the Advisor's Room, leaving the others to disperse as well.

With Naruto, Later

He had just landed from a trust fall. Standing up, he looked around and asked, "Kakashi-sensei, why is Sayuri-chan not back yet?"

It had been an hour since she left and there was no sign of her. Kakashi shrugged. Council meetings generally did not last longer than half an hour. If he had guessed the nature of the meeting correctly, he knew why she wasn't back. A slight amount of guilt was felt on his part.

"I'm not sure. Let's take a break, you can go find her."

At those words, Naruto disappeared in a blur. Sakura didn't even have a chance to ask to go along with him.

Kakashi gave a mock sigh. "Kids these days."

With Naruto

"Where the hell are the councillors anyways?" he thought. He then recalled something and kneeled down, closing his eyes.

Bringing the Tairitsu no In to his chest, he muttered, "Kanchi no Jutsu (Sensory Jutsu)." He could feel multiple chakra signatures, but none of them was the one he was looking for.

Naruto tried to focus on Sayuri's unique signature - being the transmigrant of Indra, it was powerful as well. Underlying the surface of her chakra was hatred, making it a deep purple in colour.  
"Got it!" He stood up and leapt to the nearest rooftops. The further he ran, the more he recognised his surroundings from the previous time he ran across the rooftops with her.

"She's at home?" This puzzled him greatly as she should've returned to training after the council meeting. Unless…

He had a bad feeling about this. He picked up his speed, becoming an orange blur over the heads of villagers who were carrying out their daily routines.

When he reached her clan compound's entrance, he could detect negative emotions coming from a single source - fear, worry, anxiety.

"Yabai," Naruto cursed. Her worrying troubled him. What exactly had transpired in that meeting? "Sayuri-chan!" Naruto called as he reached the main house where she resided.

Upon hearing her name, the girl inside wiped her tears and stood up from her spot where she had been crying for quite a while. The more she had thought about it, the more it sickened her that she would be used in such a way. The fact that she couldn't do anything made it worse, bringing even more tears.

However, she couldn't afford for Naruto to find out. What would he think of her then? Also, she could not appear weak at such a time, especially not when she knew that Naruto would surely fuss over her about it.

Quickly, she straightened her crumpled attire and moved to answer the front door. "Hi, Naruto! What brings you here?" she asked, sounding uncharacteristically cheery.

The frown on his face told her that he didn't buy it. "How are you, Sayuri-chan?" "Why, I'm fine!" she replied.

"I'll go get you a drink-" she was about to turn and walk into the kitchen when Naruto grabbed her wrist.

"Please don't lie to me, Sayuri-chan. If you were fine, you would've returned to training. Also, you wouldn't have puffy red eyes or a creased gown."

"Shimata!" she cursed internally. She had no time to prepare for his unexpected visit. "And you even if you could hide all those… I can sense your emotions. Fear. Anxiety. Stress. You can't hide from me, so please… tell me what happened," Naruto begged in a softer tone.

This wasn't the tough Sayuri he knew; this was the young, vulnerable Sayuri whom he had protected so long ago.

"Nothing happened, alright?" Sayuri retorted, "Why do you care so much anyway?" Naruto sighed and released her wrist.

"Sayuri-chan… you're an emotional wreck right now, and as a teammate and friend I'm extremely concerned. Not just because it'll affect your performance, but also because your emotional welfare is of concern to me. I care, alright? So please, tell me what happened."

Sayuri looked up and gazed at him with sad black eyes which reflected despair. She could no longer hold back and broke down again, this time in front of Naruto.

The alarmed Uzumaki brought the emotionally distraught Uchiha into a hug. "There, there, don't hold back…" Naruto whispered soothingly, rubbing slow circles in her back.

The girl's pent-up emotions were released in a torrents of tears. Naruto sighed internally as she cried into his chest. At least she finally opened up.

The Uchiha snuggled deeper into his embrace, finding comfort in his presence. "Sayuri-chan, can you tell me what happened? I promise I won't tell anyone, if that helps," he requested gently, seeing as how she was emotionally unstable at the moment he did not want to worsen matters.

The girl thought for a while before reaching a decision. Her crying reduced to a sniffle before she started.

"I-It's the Clan Restoration Act. A law created by the Nidaime to prevent clan extinction," Sayuri explained as she broke the hug.

"Because I'm the last Uchiha, and a female… they plan to have me h-have sex with several men once I turn 18 or become a chunin and by extension, a clan head," she said, voice trembling at that disgusting thought. "When one finally impregnates me, he will be my husband. Basically they will keep using me as a breeding machine to produce more Uchiha offspring."

Naruto's blood boiled at such a stupid law. Of course, the Nidaime had his reasons but to target women like that…! Uchiha Sayuri was supposed to be a modern, empowered woman unfettered by the antiquated gender roles of a bygone era. Not a girl who submitted to a retarded law of the previous generation!

"And what if you refuse?" asked Naruto though he had a sinking feeling he already knew the answer.

"I'll be 'locked in a cell and bound to a wall where every day I'll have sex till I am impregnated. The first male to successfully impregnate me will be my husband'," she paraphrased Danzo's words.

Saying that Naruto was furious was an understatement. "Don't worry, Sayuri-chan. I WILL find a loophole in this stupid law and I will use it to free you. You can count on me," Naruto promised.

The Uchiha girl doubted that it would be easy to find any loophole. But she was sure with a little bit of research, Naruto could think of something. Besides that, she already had her own solution but she could sense it was suspected by the higher-ups.

She looked up at his hair, a halo of celestial gold, his skin, the colour of hot desert sand and lastly, into his bright, blue eyes, the colour of a cloudless sky. In them, she could only find comfort and trustworthiness, so much so that even she believed he could help her.

"… Alright then, Naruto. I entrust this to you. Please don't tell anyone else." He nodded firmly. "I won't. Now please Sayuri-chan, follow me to training."

As he walked away, Sayuri took a look at his retreating back and sighed in despair. Her plan to not cause any heartbreak was failing miserably.

She had, however, unknowingly gained something out of this emotional episode. As she glanced at the mirror, it reflected her fully matured vermilion eyes with three swirling magatama.

Three Months Later

Team 7 had accomplished a lot of stuff, with the most obvious achievement being their taijutsu, which had improved exponentially.

Naruto, personally, had added two weapon styles to his bukijutsu (weapon technique) arsenal: the Ryubo (Dragon Pole) and Hachi Zanto (Eight Slashing Knives). Basically, he had learnt how to wield a staff and a pair of butterfly swords. While he did not actively use or keep them as weapons - giving preference to his sword - they would come in handy when he used Six Paths Sage Mode's Gūdo Dama. He sought none other than the Third Hokage for a brief bojutsu introduction while for the butterfly swords, he got Tenten to tutor him.

Sayuri worked on her new Sharingan abilities and kenjutsu, as well as integrating her ninjutsu into her taijutsu and kenjutsu katas.

Lastly, Sakura improved her support skills, focusing on iryo ninjutsu and genjutsu casting and breaking.

Back to Team 7 as a whole, they finally got normal C-ranks but some still escalated to higher ranks. In one of them, he met the Takigakure (Village Hidden In The Waterfall) jinchuuriki, Fu of the Seven Tails. Team 7 helped her to guard her country's Eiyu no Mizu (Heroes' Water), a precious substance which increased one's chakra but decreased one's lifespan.

In another mission, Naruto defeated Kazahana Doto, the tyrant of Yuki no Kuni (Land Of Snow). He had killed his brother and predecessor Kazahana Sosetsu for the position of Snow Daimyo. The Uzumaki then helped the actress Kazahana Koyuki, daughter of the late Daimyo and Doto's niece, claim her birthright as Snow Daimyo. The country was renamed to Haru no Kuni (Land Of Spring).

The list went on: Naruto aided the Daimyos of Tori no Kuni (Land Of Birds) and Na no Kuni (Land Of Vegetables) to reclaim their rightful positions.

In the day, Naruto trained himself into the ground with shadow clones. By night, he sneaked into the library to research Konoha's laws, especially those directly related to the CRA.

As a result, he always slept late and was pretty lethargic during morning training but Sayuri made up to him by making him breakfast.

Well, it was another lovely Sunday morning on the 15th of June when Kakashi informed them of the Chunin Exams' details.

"Tomorrow morning, report to Room 301 in the Academy at 9. That's my only instruction for today, you can train by yourself but I recommend resting as tomorrow will be a big day for you three," Kakashi advised.

"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei," said Naruto. The three genins dispersed to do their respective stuff.

Naruto wanted to grab a coffee at the nearby coffeshop as he was feeling incredibly fatigued from the previous night's research.

He had made a last-ditch effort to find any remaining thing he could use against the Clan Restoration Act, however, the three month deadline had been hit and there was not a single thing he could use to help Sayuri out of her predicament.

He was extremely frustrated with himself; also, Sayuri had refused to turn down the Chunin Exams so that he and Sakura could have a chance for promotion and not miss it because of her.

The only thing he could come up with now was for her to purposely fail the Chunin Exams in order to remain a genin such that the law wouldn't apply to her. But how could he ask that of her? And even then, she would still turn 18 one day.

He was shaken out of his troubling thoughts when he sensed someone was tailing him. Correction, some people.

He stopped in his tracks. Seriously, they called this hiding? Clearly, they weren't a threat if their chakra was anything to go by - three academy level chakra reserves, two males and one female.

"Reveal yourselves…" Naruto said with a sigh. The poorly disguised box disappeared with a burst of smoke, revealing three coughing kids.

"I think we put too much gunpowder," remarked a boy with a long blue scarf between coughs. Naruto raised an eyebrow as he observed the three children getting up. The other boy was bespectacled, and the girl had two large pigtails.

"You are…?" Naruto asked.

"Sarutobi Konohamaru," the boy with the scarf introduced.

"I'm Moegi," the girl said.

"And I'm Udon!" the bespectacled boy exclaimed, a drip of mucus running down his nostril.

"Together, we're the Konohamaru Corps!" Konohamaru declared.

"So, why are you after me? I'm just a simple guy after a cup of coffee," Naruto questioned. Konohamaru replied, "We've watched you very closely and have decided you are good enough to be our boss! Will you teach us some cool jutsus?"

Naruto thought, "The Hokage's grandson, huh? I suppose he wishes to surpass his grandfather. Living under a shadow can't be any good."

"Alright then. But before I teach you anything, work on your stealth and speed," Naruto advised. "Thanks for the tip, boss!" Konohamaru exclaimed.

All three nodded eagerly and took off running.

The Uzumaki shook his head in amusement before applying a henge. "1 cup of coffee, please," ordered Naruto.

"Coming right up!"

Far away, he heard a cry that sounded oddly like Konohamaru. Alarmed, Naruto quickly informed the cashier, "I'll be back in a minute."

He rushed over to the scene while dispelling his henge. A boy about his age dressed in a catsuit, wearing purple war paint and a Sunagakure (Village Hidden In The Sand) hitaite was holding up Konohamaru by his collar.

Next to him was a teal-eyed blond girl with four ponytails and a giant tessen (iron fan) strapped to her back.

"Kankuro, put him down! If he sees us we're dead!" the girl chided. Kankuro scoffed. "This kid bumped into me. I just want to have some fun."

Naruto walked up to the two Suna-nin. This was an issue between two villages; he would have to try to solve it as diplomatically as possible.

"Kankuro-san, please put the boy down," he requested politely. Both Suna-nin looked at him.

The girl thought with a blush, "This guy is pretty handsome." In contrast, Kankuro said, "Who the heck are you? And why should I let this brat go after he knocked into me?"

"I'm sure it was just an accident. And besides, bullying the Hokage's grandson will cause an international incident. If I have to, I will liberate him with my own hands," said Naruto.

"Ha, and what are you gonna-" He was cut short when a kunai flew from a nearby tree and grazed his forearm, forcing him to let go of the boy.

"She's here. Best to make my move now," thought Naruto. In a burst of smoke, Naruto substituted with the kunai and grabbed Konohamaru. Swiftly, he returned to the other academy students' side. The Konohamaru Corps ran away as quickly as possible.

"What do you think you are doing while in another's village?" came the voice of Sayuri. Under the shade of the tree's leaves, her glowing red eyes looked menacing.

Kankuro took a step back in slight fear. "Who the heck is that now? That girl is damn hot… but dangerous."

His eyes narrowed. "I hate people like you who think they are very clever. And I have a way to deal with people like you." He unstrapped a strange, bandaged item from his back and set it on the floor. At its top, there was a tuft of black hair.

"A kugutsutsukai (puppeteer)?" Naruto mused. The girl warned, "You're using Karasu? I'm not going to be responsible for what you are about to do."

Just as Kankuro was about to engage Sayuri in combat, a third voice rang out from the other side of the tree trunk that Sayuri was on. "Kankuro, stop what you are doing before I kill you."

"That chakra!" thought Naruto, eyes widening at the malevolent presence. It was oppressive and voluminous, no doubt a jinchuuriki.

Hanging upside down from a bough, was a redhead with a huge gourd strapped to his back. Etched on his forehead was the kanji for "Love". Ironically, that seemed to be the last thing on his mind.

Kankuro looked just as taken aback as Naruto was. "Gaara!" he greeted in fear, quickly returning the puppet they called "Karasu" to its original position.

The two occupants of the tree leapt down to the street, in their respective groups. Gaara declared with a monotone, "You are a disgrace to our village, Kankuro."

Turning to the Konoha-nin, he continued, "I apologise for my brother's deplorable behaviour." "You… you are a jinchuuriki as well, aren't you?" asked Naruto.

Gaara raised an eyebrow, "Yes. What is your name and the girl's name? And since I'm asking, I am Sabaku no Gaara (Gaara Of The Desert), and these are my siblings, Kankuro and Temari."  
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and my teammate here is Uchiha Sayuri," the blond replied. Gaara let the information sink in.

He paused, as if talking to someone in his head. Suddenly, he let out a low, creepy laugh. "Mother says you two are strong. I look forward to spilling your noble blood, Uchiha. And you, jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi… I shall prove my existence by diminishing yours!"

Gaara spun around and walked away, leaving Naruto puzzled. Kurama answered, "If I'd have to guess, he is the jinchuuriki of my brother Shukaku. Shukaku is the One-Tailed Tanuki, known to drive his hosts crazy by infecting their minds and forcing them to stay awake 24/7. Additionally, he does psychological damage to his hosts by pretending to be someone close to them who is dead."

Naruto shuddered. "No wonder he is so insane. I'd be too if I couldn't sleep in my whole life. One day I'll get his seal fixed."

He was snapped out of his mental conversation when he heard Sayuri snap her fingers in front of his face. "Hello… earth to Naruto," the Uchiha said.

Naruto recovered and replied, "Yes?"

"What did he mean when he called you the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi?" Sayuri asked. "Shhh!" Naruto hushed.

Covering her mouth with his hand, he then brought both of them to a secluded forest in one of the training grounds nearby.

Sadly, he averted his gaze after removing his hand. "This will not be an easy question to answer, Sayuri-chan. It is a S-rank secret, you cannot reveal this to anyone else on pain of death. Plus… I don't think I'm ready to tell you yet… u-unless you promise not to change your opinion of me."

Seeing him being so shaken up by her question, it only served to make her more curious. She agreed to his conditions.

"I… I am the jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox that attacked the village twelve years ago. This means that I am his human container, his host. Many people died, including my parents because of his attack and so most of the villagers hate me with a passion. To make things worse, they tell their children to isolate me so I would never have friends."

He then recounted his horrible childhood, causing a few tears to escape his eyes uncontrollably. Sayuri instinctively hugged him, much to his surprise.

She had not pushed him away, or thought that he was a monster. She actually accepted him…

"Don't worry… you have me. Now I know, that's why you want to become Hokage so much - it's so that you can gain their acknowledgement. Well, you can't change the past but you can change the future. Don't ever give up on your dreams, I believe you will achieve them one day."

"Thanks, Sayuri-chan," Naruto said, feeling slightly embarrassed as he broke the hug. The Uchiha continued, "But let me tell you this: you don't become the Hokage to be acknowledged by everyone. The one who is acknowledged by everyone becomes the Hokage."

Naruto was shocked by such a wise saying. "Alright then. I'll work to be acknowledged by everyone!" Sayuri pointed out, "You are already acknowledged by the population of Nami. Your kind and bright nature makes that easy, it's just that the villagers of Konoha are prejudiced. Which reminds me… I'll kill those bastards for what they did to you!"

The Uzumaki sighed. "Please don't, Sayuri-chan. It'll only make matters worse and tarnish your reputation as the great last Uchiha. They are wrong for taking out their anger on a kid but I can understand where they're coming from. It's not their fault that the Kyuubi attacked and killed their family on that day, it's only natural that they need someone to vent their wrath and hatred on."

Sayuri retorted in frustration, "But not on you! I give up. You're too kind." "And that's why I love you so much," she added mentally.

"Well, I have a coffee to pick up, see you tomorrow at the Chunin Exams."

"Ja ne."

The Next Day

Team Kakashi met up at the Academy's entrance. The three took their applications to the Academy's reception desk, where the shinobi in charge let them in.

The genins ascended the stairs to the sight of many genins crowded around the door of room 302. The commotion was caused by two genins in front of the door, refusing entry to those who tried to enter.

Naruto activated his sensory technique. Instead of two genins, he detected two chunin chakra presences. Of course, he could not confirm their rank by chakra alone (that would make people like him Kage-level), so he requested, "Sayuri, check out those two with your Sharingan."

"On it." With a momentary flash of chakra, her optic nerves produced a reaction which activated extra optic cones, giving her incredible perception and tetrachromacy but at the same time, altered her vision to inverse negative. The onxy eyes of hers took on a bright vermilion hue with her pupils encirled by three tomows.

This did not matter, though, as their disguises were already discovered by her Sharingan. As the three tomoes faded away, she supplied, "Those two are the gate guards, the chunins Izumo and Kotetsu. Also the room isn't 301, it's 201."

Naruto nodded in confirmation. "As expected. Room 301 wouldn't be on the second floor as it starts with 3."

With that, the trio of genins ascended the second flight of stairs which brought them to the third floor. Upon arrival, they saw their sensei leaning casually against a wall, reading his favourite novel.

Sensing their presence, he kept his book and waved at them. "Yo! Congrats on making it this far. The Chunin Exams have just begun, though, so good luck!"

"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto and Sakura chorused. Sayuri managed a smirk.

Suddenly, his voice turned serious. "Don't die on me, my cute little genins. See you in the Second Test!" He gestured towards a set of double doors.

As soon as they opened it and entered, they were greeted by the sight of hundreds of genins glaring at them.

"I feel so welcome," Naruto remarked sarcastically. Thankfully, there were rookies from his batch as well.

"Yo Naruto! Long time no see," Kiba greeted. "Glad to see you're here too, Kiba," Naruto replied. He gave an acknowledging nod to Shino and Hinata, who turned red in his presence.

"So troublesome… figures I'd see you here as well, Naruto," Shikamaru said. "Hey, how's it going with Team 10?"

"Just fine," Choji replied while snacking on potato chips from a bag, "Asuma-sensei doesn't stop me from eating and he even treats us to barbeque at times."

Ino just gave Naruto a "pfft" while turning to talk to her idol, the last Uchiha. Naruto shrugged. "Looks like it's about to begin soon enough."

He even caught sight of Gaara and his siblings, the former of which glared at him with an expression as if he wanted to kill bunnies.

Majority of the others were from Kusagakure (Village Hidden In The Grass) and Amegakure (Village Hidden In The Rain), while some were from a new village called Otogakure (Village Hidden In The Sound).

A Konoha-nin walked over to the nine rookies and said, "Would you please quiet down? You're drawing attention to yourselves and may get yourselves killed."

"Who are you?" Naruto questioned the bespectacled genin. "My name is Yakushi Kabuto, from the Iryo Butai (Medic Corps). It is my seventh time taking the Chunin Exams," he responded sheepishly.

Kiba blurted, "Wow, you must really suck!"

Kabuto smirked. "These exams are harder than you think. Anyways, I might be able to help you guys out a little with my ninja info cards."

"Ninja info cards? What the heck are those?" Sakura asked, intrigued. The medic pushed up his spectacles as he drew a deck of cards from his pouch.

Setting them on the floor, he said, "They are special cards imbued with information I've collected about the Exams over the years. It responds to my chakra and gives me the information I need to know. Got anyone in mind?"

"Sabaku no Gaara," Naruto responded almost instantly.

Kabuto placed his fingertips on the card which began to spin with his chakra flowing into it. Words and pictures appeared soon.

"Sabaku no Gaara. This is his mission experience. He had thirty D-ranks, eight C-ranks, and get this: one B-rank! His sensei is Baki and his teammates are Sabaku no Temari and Sabaku no Kankuro, who are also his siblings. The three siblings are children of the Yondaime Kazekage. Interesting to note, he has come out of every single mission without a single scratch," Kabuto read.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Kiba said, "Let's see what you got, dobe."

Naruto raised an eyebrow in response.

"Uzumaki Naruto. This is his mission experience. Sixty D-ranks, eight C-ranks and six A-ranks!"

Everyone stared at him in awe, to which he shrugged. "His sensei is Hatake Kakashi and his teammates are Uchiha Sayuri and Haruno Sakura. He is also the jin-"

Naruto narrowed his eyes at Kabuto. How did he know so much? "Please stop, I would like to keep the rest to myself," Naruto requested. Kabuto nodded and replaced the card in his deck.

"Well to conclude this time's Exams are tough. Though I wouldn't worry about the minor villages like Oto so much," Kabuto said, sliding his glasses further up his nose bridge.

Suddenly, three shapes blurred towards Kabuto. They were three Oto-nin who heard Kabuto's comment and decided to take action against him.

Two of them wore gauntlets on their hands with holes in them. The bigger of two swung his fist towards Kabuto.

Naruto grabbed the bespectacled nin by his sleeve and pulled him out of the way successfully.

However, Kabuto's glasses cracked and he fell to the floor, throwing up. Naruto furrowed his brows.

"But he missed... Unless the gauntlet the Oto-nin uses produces high-pitched sound from those holes and uses them to distort vision and cause pain. At the same time, the frequency is so high that it cracks his glasses... So that's why they're called Oto," Naruto deduced in his head.

"OK SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP, MAGGOTS! FIGHTING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. SAVE YOUR SPUNK FOR THE SECOND TEST!" yelled a man who appeared with several other chunins.

He was intimidatingly tall and wore a black bandana. His face was twisted in a fierce scowl as he walked up to the front of the room.

"I am Morino Ibiki, head of Konoha's Gomon/Jinmon Butai (Torture And Interrogation Force) and proctor of the first test. And from now…"

"Your worst enemy."

Author's Notes:  
I'm sorry! This chapter did not have much action but the next will have a lot! I promise you will like it as there is a great surprise in store for you guys. Review, and happy new year! See you guys in 2016!

Until tomorrow,  
Ja Ne


	9. Chunin Exams

Asura's Transmigrant

Chapter 9: Chunin Exams

Previously:  
"Your worst enemy."

Ibiki introduced, "The first part of the Exams is a written test. There are a set of rules: firstly, you are graded in a point system. Everyone starts with ten points. Answering the first nine questions correctly will let you keep the points. A point is deducted for every question answered wrongly or left blank; two points every time you are caught cheating. This is very likely because the chunins here beside me will act as sentinels, watching your every move. A total of five times caught and you and your whole team will fail. Also if any teammate gets zero points, the whole team will fail as well. The tenth question will be given out fifteen minutes before the end of the test. You have one hour. Hajime!"

The sound of papers flipping echoed throughout the room as the candidates began the test. The blond's eyes scanned the paper quickly, determining them to be jonin-level questions. What the hell were they doing on a chunin exam test? Unless the objective was information gathering...

Well, that wouldn't be necessary. Naruto's pencil hit the paper and began writing out answers as Kurama read them to him.

"Thanks, Kurama," Naruto said once he was done. The titanic fox gave a grunt.

Discreetly eyeing the room, Sakura was just like him knowing the answers while Sayuri was using her Sharingan to copy the pencil movements of a chunin disguised as a genin in front of him.

Soon, forty-five minutes passed.

"Right. The tenth question is going to be given. However... you can choose whether to take it or not," Ibiki said, "Not taking it would result in you and your team failing immediately."

"Then of course we'd take the question!" Kiba cried.

Ibiki smirked. "However if you take the question and answer wrongly... you will never be able to take the Chunin Exams again for the rest of your life."

At that statement, many teams gave up, leaving behind about twenty.

"No one else?" Ibiki asked with a sadistic grin.

"If we don't possess the courage to take the risk of this question, we are not fit to be chunin," Naruto answered.

Ibiki smiled and clapped. "Well said. All of you in this room pass the first test."

"What?!" came many candidates' responses. "As the gentleman here said, it was to test if you had the courage required of a chunin. Many times in your jobs, you will have to make risky decisions that might get you and your teammates injured or killed. Courage is having the guts to take this risk and accomplish the mission."

"But at the same time, courage is not recklessness. You want to accomplish the mission with as little casualties as possible. In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum-"

"-But those who abandon their friends are worse than scum," Naruto finished.

Ibiki smiled again. That smile quickly disappeared when he had to sidestep a ball of cloth that broke through the window and unfurled into a large rectangular banner with four kunais tied to it, one on each corner.

The kunais planted themselves into the floor and ceiling, holding it in place as a kunoichi appeared. The banner read: "The sexy and single proctor of the second test, Mitarashi Anko."

The kunoichi stepped forward. "Hey kids (no not Barney) I'm your proctor for the second test, meet at Training Ground 44 in 15 minutes and don't be late!"

Ibiki stepped out from behind the banner. "You're early again, Anko!"

"I just wanna have a more little fun with them, couldn't I? Besides, you're getting soft. 20 teams left? I will halve the candidates by the end of my test."

Naruto was pretty sure she meant halve the NUMBER of candidates, but for all he knew she would actually bisect the genins.

He pushed back his seat and stood up, as did his teammates and the remaining teams. They began to file out of the room.

Ibiki was left to collect the papers on his own, for even his elite chunins had to move on to act as the sentinels of the second test.

Training Ground 44

"Listen up, kiddos. The second test is a five-day survival test in the Forty-Fourth Training Ground, or Shi no Mori (Forest Of Death). Each team will be given a scroll, either Heaven or Earth, and will have to try to get the corresponding scroll from the other teams within these five days. Clear enough?" Anko explained.

She received nods from most of the genins before her. "Good. Once you retrieve the scroll, go to the tower located at the center of the forest. Now, enter the tent team by team to sign the waiver and collect your scroll. We will not be responsible for any deaths in the forest. Oh yes, deaths will be common," said Anko, enjoying the traumatised looks on the genins.

After they were all done signing and collecting, each team was sent to one of the 44 gates along the perimeter of the training ground where a metal fence prevented people from going in and the more dangerous things in the forest from coming out.

Over each gate was a sensor, a camera and a speaker. Anko spoke through the command centre's intercomm.

"Tip: don't die. Hajime!" With that command, the metal gates swung open. Team 7 burst into the forest with a great leap.

As they moved, they began to formulate plans. Naruto asked, "Sakura, what's the first priority?" Said pinkette paused as she hit the branch of the next tree.

"Find a river," she answered simply. At the same time, she tossed the Scroll Of Heaven to Sayuri.

"I see," Naruto mused, "Not only is it a source of water, we can also ambush other teams along the same river."

"Exactly," Sayuri affirmed as she stashed the scroll into her pouch. She stepped on to the next bough and pushed off upwards, landing on the canopy of the trees this time.

Using her powerful dojutsu (visual prowess), she scanned the area for any sign of a river. She caught sight of a creek ahead and signalled to her teammates below. "Two o' clock."

They regrouped and switched directions, heading towards the river quickly. Suddenly, Sayuri - who was taking point - ground to a halt. She held up a finger to her lips, so her teammates stopped as well.

Naruto extended his sensory range, finding an enemy team approaching fast. "Eleven o' clock, ETA 20 seconds."

The girls nodded and drew their weapons. Bracing themselves, they held their breaths. "Incoming!" Naruto warned.

Out of the distant trees, several shurikens came flying. Naruto deflected them away with his kunai just as an Ame genin shot out the nearby trees.

Naruto jumped into the air and spun around while executing a kick to his face. The opponent's hands shot up to the side of his face to block the kick, though the impact left him landing on his side.

With his hands, he backflipped away and got into a stance. Naruto did the same, his hands in front of his chest in a preparatory position.

The Ame-nin's two teammates appeared at his side. He then rushed into the battle, starting with a barrage of punches.

Naruto sidestepped the first few, then slapped the sixth punch away. The man launched another fist to his side, which Naruto brought up his left hand to block.

Pushing it away while lunging forward, Naruto elbowed the man in the temple. The Ame-nin winced and attempted a kick, however the Uzumaki blocked it quickly by raising his own foot.

He snapped his foot out in a low kick, but the man's hand shot down to block it. Naruto made use of the momentum to flip forward instead in an axe kick. The opponent's hands now raised to push away his leg once it came down.

Naruto manoeuvred away with a couple of flips, landing near his teammates. He then charged forward at the man, throwing a kunai ahead of him.

With his own, the Ame genin deflected it away. As it spun in the air behind, it became the subject of Naruto's Subsitution Jutsu.

The man watched, shocked as his enemy disappeared and appeared behind him mid-air. Naruto thrust out his foot, sending the Ame-nin forward onto the surface of the huge bough.

When he turned around, Naruto was already upon him. Naruto's fist was an inch away from his stomach. With a slight snap of his wrist, the Uzumaki's fist ploughed into the man with enough power to break his ribs, sending him crashing into the tree behind Sayuri and Sakura.

The two other Ame genins stepped back in fear as their opponent had knocked out their teammate with taijutsu alone.

"Sayuri, ikuze!" Naruto exclaimed. Sayuri launched into battle, fighting the remaining two genins. She brought up her elbows to block a punch from one while using her foot to fend off the other.

Quickly, she stepped forward and performed an uppercut. The opponent stepped back and grabbed her outstretched arm, however she had underestimated the Uchiha.

A second later, Sayuri's knee came flying up into her stomach, followed by a full extension of her leg to break free of the opponent's grasp. Lastly, she brought her foot back and with a powerful kick, the enemy genin crashed onto the floor.

Swiftly, she ducked under the swipe of the last Ame-nin's kunai. She grabbed and twisted his wrist and with a solid strike, disarmed the man. Said Ame-nin cried out in agony when his wrist was broken, trying to retreat.

Sayuri wouldn't let him have such a reprieve. Her right hand shot back to the handle of her chokuto and quickly drew it from its scabbard. Simultaneously, she used the unsheathing motion to make a diagonal slash at his stomach.

She flowed with the sword and spun counter-clockwise gracefully, rapidly shifting her footing for a tornado kick. It slammed into the side of the man's face.

She brought her right foot down from the kick and lunged forward, utilsing her angular momentum to perform a second swipe at him. After completing the slash, she created a Chidori in her left hand.

Twisting her body in the opposite direction this time, she executed a glancing blow to the right to continue her combo instead of the usual assassinating thrust as that would end the battle.

Though the wound was shallow, the raiton chakra made it sting like hell. She then followed through and spun clockwise, taking the time to place her left hand on her chokuto while changing her grip, channeling the Chidori through it. It sparkled with raiton chakra, allowing her to perform the next slash with slightly more damage.

"Kusanagi no Tsurugi: Chidorigatana (Grass-Cutting Sword: Chidori Katana)!" she called, executing a forehand upwards slash with the chirping blade.

She let the blade trail in a figure of 8 before returning with another strike to the left. Meanwhile, the Chidori had dispersed, replaced with a fist of fire.

She spun for the last time, smiting him with the fist and following up with a sword swipe. The momentum carried both fist and sword to the left side of her body, where she put her fist on the chokuto.

The raiton chakra was replaced with flames, letting her perform a final lateral slash. Her left hand raised to her lips and she exhaled simultaneously with the slash, creating a huge fireball which rammed into the enemy genin and sent him crashing into the tree as a charred corpse.

Sakura watched her beautiful idol with awe as she brutally cut down the final enemy. "Well done, Sayuri. Let's search them for their scroll," Naruto praised, though it could definitely have been less brutal.

The three genins ransacked their enemies. Unfortunately, the scroll was a Heaven scroll like theirs. However, Naruto still insisted on keeping it as you never knew when it would be useful.

His reasoning behind it was if they faced another team too strong for them, though unlikely, they could get away by negotiating while having a spare of their own.

Tower Control Room

Kakashi smirked as he observed through a hidden camera. Excellent work and genius of his genins to think of that.

Back To Team 7

The trio arrived at the creek they were looking for. It was serene unlike the rest of the forest, and the water flowed slowly in the six metre wide stream.

Once he reached its bank, he kneeled down and cupped his hands, using them to scoop up water to drink.

"I'll set up camp now," Naruto informed before searching nearby for sticks and leaves which he could use to set up a shelter against a tree.

Sakura followed, "I'll get water." Sayuri raised an eyebrow before she thought of something. "I'm catching fish."

Grabbing a branch, she fashioned it into a spear and sharpened its tip. After cleaning it with water from the creek, she waited patiently.

Three minutes later, a flash of silver darted in the creek. Sayuri hurled the spear at the fish, taking refraction into account. It skewered the fish right through the center.

Triumphantly, she took it out and placed it somewhere to dry. She caught a total of three fish, just nice for each of them.

By then, they were done setting up camp and gathering water. The Uchiha entered the makeshift tent and with a small fire jutsu, ignited a mini campfire to cook the fishes.

"So… what's the next objective?" asked Sakura as she bit into the fried fish. "Hmm," Naruto pondered, "I'll scout along the river for enemy teams. You guys can bathe or rest in the mean time, you can tell my shadow clone if anything happens while I'm away."

The Uchiha nodded and stood up, tossing her skewer away. "I'm bathing." She walked away to the river as Naruto created a shadow clone to act as a sentry.

His clone scaled the tree above the shelter and found a suitable branch high up enough with a good vantage point.

The Uzumaki himself left to scout out the river. Being the only one left, Sakura decided to go to sleep after snuffing out the fire.

With Naruto

"Kanchi no Jutsu!" the Uzumaki said. In his mind, a small blue flame was about 300 metres away. But... alone?

"Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye Of Kagura)," he whispered. This advanced sensory technique extended his sensory range and refined the detection of chakra, being responsible for his ability to tell apart the target by age and gender.

Additionally, it could differentiate different types of chakra by colour and also perceive fluctuations like when the target is under genjutsu or lying. As such, it surpassed some types of dojutsu with comparable abilities.

As he discovered, the chakra belonged to a young female. And that chakra was awfully familiar. He sprinted towards that location at full speed. Based on the fear radiating off this girl, she was in deep trouble.

Naruto burst out of the trees and into a clearing formed, as it seemed, by the huge bear towering over the redhead girl.

She had tripped over a tree root and lost her glasses in the process, leaving her even more susceptible to attack. The bear roared at her and cocked back one of its arms.

"Begone," Naruto ordered. With a single fist, he stopped the bear's paws in its tracks. Then he grabbed one of its claws and with it, flipped the entire bear over and smashed it into a tree.

The dazed bear lumbered away as soon as it could for it was no match for this human. While Naruto had been dealing with the bear, the girl had managed to retrieve her spectacles and put them on.

She was amazed by his raw strength, and yet frightened at the thought of what he could do to her. "W-Who are you?" the redhead asked.

Naruto noticed her fearful expression and assured, "Relax. I only came here because I detected your chakra and it was clearly under threat."

"He's a kanchi-nin like me?" she thought, before asking, "But why would you save me?"

"Answer me this: are you an Uzumaki?" Naruto questioned. The girl nodded slowly. "I am Uzumaki Karin."

His expression brightened considerably. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo! I noticed your chakra was so similar to mine, and thought perhaps…"

"We're family? I only know that my late mum was an Uzumaki, I don't know if she had relatives…" Karin revealed. "Well now that we have found each other, can we keep in touch?" asked Naruto.

"If I may be so bold… can I stay with you, Naruto-san? My teammates are dead and I hate my life in Kusagakure where I'm treated like an expendable tool. I'm an orphan and they abuse my power to heal others, that was how my mother died."

"Power?" Naruto asked quizzically. "When people bite my arm, iryo chakra gets released from my body and into their system. The problem is when they do this too much, it'll drain me dry and I'll die."

"I understand," Naruto replied. She was being used by her villagers as a tool, just like how he was scorned though he was the village's jinchuuriki.

"But not right now, maybe after the Chunin Exams you can find a place to live in Konoha. Unfortunately the Uzumakis are not a shinobi clan so there is no clan compound for us to reside in, I suppose we'll have to settle for an apartm- kuso! Karin, grab on to me," Naruto pressed as a rush of memories entered his head.

The girl was confused but did as instructed.

At Camp, Earlier

The shadow clone's ears twitched as he picked up a strange sound. It sounded just like… hissing. "Fūton: Daitoppa!" a raspy voice intoned.

"Shimata!" the kage bunshin cursed as a strong blast of wind shook the surrounding trees and tore their shelter asunder.

Knowing what to do, his hands crossed in the familiar shadow clone seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," he whispered. Discretely, a second shadow clone burst into existence.

"Stay here and wait for Boss to substitute with you," the first clone ordered before dispelling himself. Within five seconds, two Uzumakis appeared in place of the second clone in a burst of smoke.

"Karin, stay here," Naruto whispered harshly. He jumped into the dense undergrowth of the forest floor.

The one who had attacked was a kunoichi from Kusagakure, wearing a straw hat. She wore a plain grey garb with black pants and a thick purple rope belt tied in a large knot behind her back, as well as blue tomoe-shaped earrings. Under it was a black polo neck.

She hissed malevolently as she stepped forward to face Team 7 who had gathered quickly after hearing the sounds of an ambush.

"This chakra.. it's powerful and scary, so vile…" Naruto thought, "Furthermore, she is no genin in terms of chakra level. In fact, I can't even tell if she's actually female or male, there are so many conflicting signatures within one body. This is very bad."

Sayuri clutched her chokuto as her kekkei genkai flared to life. "Ah, the famous Sharingan. Show me what you got, Uchiha Sayuri," the Kusa kunoichi incited.

The Uchiha scowled as she unsheathed her sword. Suddenly, she was paralysed with fear as a huge wave of killing intent hit her, even stronger than that of Zabuza's.

"This is no genin," she analysed frantically, "Come on, Sayuri, stay calm. I have to calmly analyse each and every one of the enemy's movements…"

However, no matter what she did, there was no way she could break free of the killing intent which held her and restrained Sakura. The only unaffected one was Naruto.

"Kocchi ni kite, Uchiha!" the opponent taunted, a long, forked serpentine tongue flicking around out of her mouth.

"I can't let her get to me, not when my team needs me now!" she cried in thought, "Naruto seems to be the only one who can still move. He'd better do something quick or we're doomed."

Naruto got worried when he noticed his teammates couldn't move a millimetre from their current positions. The enemy had clearly paralysed them with killing intent and so it was up to him to deal with her.

He dashed at the enemy at full speed, intending to blindside her. Though the enemy was surprised at his speed, she manoeuvred away in time.

Naruto ran up the tree trunk and kicked off explosively, launching him towards the enemy with an outstretched fist. This time, the kunoichi knew that he was fast enough and caught his arm in time.

She spun one round and using his momentum, flung him at the tree behind his teammates. What hit the tree was a log which shattered into splinters.

"Substitution!" she realised, looking up. The shadow of Naruto fell on her as he tried to land on her with a chop.

The kunoichi stepped back and retaliated with a punch. Naruto fended it off with his forearms and switching to a grab, he redirected her onto the floor.

However, she quickly shot her back leg upwards, catching him in the chin. "He" dispersed into smoke.

From the smoke, eight more shadow clones came out to fight her. The kunoichi easily disposed of the first three which charged up to her, but the remaining five ganged up on her by stringing together a barrage of coordinated attacks.

They were not simultaneous to prevent a one-shot knockout move from her but were close enough together to overwhelm her.

Eventually, it came to the point where the five used Rasengan on her to end the battle. The orbs grinded against her skin, tearing through it easily.

The fallen kunoichi was badly thrashed, but something told him she wasn't dead yet. Firstly, her chakra signature was still active, and secondly, dead kunoichi couldn't exude killing intent which still trapped his teammates even now.

As the five clones dispelled, the real Naruto watched with disgust as the kunoichi's jaw opened wide like a snake. Out of it, crawled another copy of the original. The original shrivelled as soon as the Kusa "genin" climbed completely out of her mouth, like shedded skin.

"You were better than I expected, Uzumaki Naruto-kun… I had higher expectations for Uchiha Sayuri, unfortunately she is simply stunned there by my killing intent," the Kusa kunoichi hissed.

Said girl's blood was raging, but no matter how much she tried she was restrained by this killing intent of hers.

"Come now, Naruto-kun," she taunted, "Show me the power of the greatest of the tailed beasts."

"Who the heck are you? How do you know who I am?" Naruto asked. "Of course I do, Naruto-kun. I am one of the Densetsu no Sannin."

The boy's eyes widened. Of the Legendary Three Ninja, there were two males and one female: Jiraiya, a Gama Sennin (Toad Sage) of Myobokuzan (Mount Myoboku), Tsunade, the Legendary Namekuji-hime (Slug Princess) and best medic-nin in the world, and lastly, Orochimaru, a nukenin of Konoha who had defected many years ago for being caught carrying out unethical experiments on fellow humans.

Given his name, and snake-like nature, he clearly fitted the last description. "You, you're Orochimaru of the Sannin," Naruto identified, "How are you a female right now?"

"Yes, indeed," the sannin rasped creepily, "This is a result of one of my many successful experiments. As of now, you are interfering with the collection of my specimen so I'm afraid I'll have to take you out for a while."

Naruto was getting desperate. He was clearly on a level much higher than any of one of them, and perhaps even Kakashi-sensei for all he knew.

He needed to enlist his teammates' cooperation if they were to get out of here alive. "Sayuri, you have to snap out of it! I need your help!" Naruto cried as Orochimaru sprinted towards him.

Two lightning-quick punches found their way past his first guard, forcing him to step back and sidestep another.

The sannin bent down and swung his foot across at his face. The Uzumaki quickly bent underneath the passing foot, evading to its left.

However, Orochimaru's leg swerved back, intent on catching him again off guard. Naruto's hands flew up to his side to block the incoming foot and switched to a grip once it came in contact.

The sannin was no pushover, and with a spin, he swung himself up and over Naruto's arm. The blond's eyes widened as soon as he knew what was about to happen.

Orochimaru threw his weight forward while using his other leg to wrap around Naruto's arm which was still grabbing his right leg.

With a complex twist, he landed the Uzumaki in an armlock. He pulled hard, determined to break an arm or two.

He certainly would have preferred Naruto as his host body instead but the Kyuubi would reject him from his body, so he had no choice but to eliminate him.

As Orochimaru yanked harder, Naruto began to lose feeling in his trapped arm. It was about to snap at any moment.

Sayuri, meanwhile, was watching helplessly in abject horror. Her beloved's arm was about to be broken. He had called for her help. HER help. And she failed him.

Dark chakra spawned in her soul, hatred flooding her body for this man he called Orochimaru.

Naruto's mind raced with a million thoughts a second, before he finally thought to use his inheritance. He closed and concentrated on amassing chakra in his body, rejuvenating his systems-

"Kuso!" he cursed as he felt five fingers poke hard against his stomach. His eyes flew open, and he saw Orochimaru's five fingers alight with purple flames, pressed hard on his stomach where his seal was.

"Gogyō Fūin (Five Elements Seal)," Orochimaru intoned, the purple flames disappearing. Naruto felt an odd sensation as his chakra flow was disturbed, all the chakra he had been amassing earlier falling away.

Based on his knowledge of fuinjutsu, an odd-numbered seal placed on an even-numbered seal would cause an imbalance.

As the last of his conciousness faded away, he felt the sensation of being kicked to another tree trunk and being pinned there by a thrown kunai to the ribcage.

Sayuri's mind was raging with thoughts, bubbling with wrath which far surpassed any in the vicinity. Orochimaru got up and taunted, "What will you do now, Sayuri… now that your teammate has been defeated so easily by me? If you can't beat me, you will never stand a chance against your brother."

The last insult did it, breaking deep into her old memories which flooded her mind now. The old days where Itachi was kind to her. And that faithful day where it all started this mess. She remembered the hatred. The anger. And above all, the futility of her actions as she was weak then.

She had sworn to rise above it all. To overcome her weaknesses and to surpass her brother. And one day, to avenge her parents and the rest of the clan.

But even now… was she still weak? Still in the shadow of her older brother. She could not help herself from falling in love either. And even now, her love had been beaten up and thrashed by this vile man before her, who dared to restrain her with his killing intent.

She would show him! She would show everybody that…

"You don't mess with an Uchiha," she spat, her killing intent overwhelming Orochimaru's and freeing her. Her eyelids rose with the twitch of a muscle, displaying the powerful ocular prowess beneath.

Oh, it was no ordinary dojutsu. Her eyes were black, with a six pointed star resembling an atom model around the iris.

Sakura was terrified by the dark aura exuded by her teammate. She was still trapped by the Snake Sannin's killing intent, but it seemed to no longer affect Sayuri and the surge in power certainly had something to do with it.

Orochimaru licked his lips. This turned out better than he ever imagined, though now with the Mangekyo Sharingan, obtaining the specimen might take a bit of work.

Sayuri took a single step forward, before a powerful lunge carried her straight towards Orochimaru. The sannin dodged the first punch which whizzed by.

Luckily for him, though the Mangekyo Sharingan granted new jutsus, it was no different from the standard three-tomoe Sharingan in terms of ninjutsu if Sayuri did not know how to use the jutsus.

Orochimaru went on the offense instead, zipping at high speeds around the irate Uchiha. Her head spun around quickly as her brains processed the incoming visual information. To her, Orochimaru was now about as slow as a genin.

Her hands quickly shot to her chokuto and she drew it to deflect a flying projectile. Next, Orochimaru himself came hurtling towards her.

His hands poised before her, ready to strike. Sayuri whipped out her sword in front of her, bisecting the man.

His chakra dispersed before her very eyes, his physical body exploding into mud. Reflexively, she ducked in time to avoid a slash from a kunai overhead.

She spun around and struck the sannin with her left fist, capitalising on his outstretched arms from the slash.

Sayuri followed up with a sword stroke. The foresight provided by her powerful eyes allowed her to dodge the next attack by dropping low.

Before Orochimaru could even kick, her feet shot out in a sweep. The sannin stumbled back, enabling her to execute a mule kick next.

The Uchiha leapt into the air with terrifying speed, appearing behind the Snake Sannin. She lashed out with another slash with her chokuto before flickering in front of him.

Her chokuto was sheathed, her hands replaced with kunais. In rapid succession, the Uchiha fired off a barrage of flame-coated projectiles.

As expected, the sannin dodged them easily. Some whirled past him to the tree trunk behind while others hit the ground.

That's when he realised: the kunais had circled the trunk and returned to circle and bind him. The Uchiha yanked hard on the durable steel wires in her hands, tightening her bind on the sannin and securing him to the tree trunk.

She then placed the end of the wires in her mouth. Her hands flew to the wire, weaving rapidly in hand seals.

"Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu (Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu)!" Fire chakra welled up her lungs, shooting out her windpipe. The fierce flames were expelled quickly and travelled along the conductive wires.

The firestorm reached Orochimaru and quickly engulfed him, tearing a hole through the tree trunk he was tied to.

When he opened his mouth to scream in agony, what came out instead was an identical copy which lunged for Sayuri, a sword in hand.

The Uchiha dodged the first swipe by flipping to the right, then ducked under the second slash. Just as he was about to execute a backhand stroke, Sayuri's hands came up to block his forearm.

They quickly switched to a tight grip around his wrist. The Uchiha performed a kick to his shin, lifting him up and spinning him around by his arm.

There came a point where his sword came too close and would have cleaved her face. Her Mangekyo Sharingan had interpreted the information seconds beforehand, prompting her to let go of him and leap back.

The Snake Sannin spun nimbly and landed, before dashing towards her. Sayuri's hands already reached the handle of her chokuto, and she pulled hard to release it from its scabbard.

With a backhand grip, she blocked the incoming strike which was aimed at her forearm. She pressed forward, tossing the sword into the air momentarily and catching it in a forehand grip.

With sword in hand, she engaged Orochimaru in a high speed kenjutsu match. He was good at the sword too, as it appeared.

With a quick strikes and parries, the two were pretty even. While Orochimaru was swifter, Sayuri could see through all his moves and predict them.

The Uchiha decided to put an end to this. With an unusual vertical backhand block, she stopped a thrust. In quick succession, she twisted her sword in a whirl and swiped it upwards while the tip of her chokuto made an incision on his forearm.

This action disarmed the sannin as a combination of the forces at work on his sword and the pain inflicted on his wrist were enough to send his sword spinning chaotically out his hand and flying away behind her.

Sayuri lunged as the man was screaming in agony. It was over for him.

That is, until she felt a sharp pain pierce her back and course through her body. A metal tip emerged from her ribcage, revealing Orochimaru's sword which had somehow found its way from midair to her vulnerable back.

It was out of his hand, and out of her sight too… unless… he could control it telekinetically? She was not able to predict that, especially since it was behind her.

Sayuri keeled over and coughed up blood. The injuries were not vital and she suspected it was because he wished to keep her alive. Or else, nothing would have stopped from him from stabbing her heart from behind.

Orochimaru's long tongue ran over his pale lips, wetting it with his saliva. Finally, his target was under control.

"Behold… the legendary Kusanagi no Tsurugi," the Snake Sannin rasped, and with a wave of his hand, the sword extracted itself from her body and returned to his hand.

Sayuri's eyes widened in silent shock as they deactivated. This was the real Kusanagi? No wonder he could control it telekinetically! The sannin tilted his head upwards, allowing the long sword enter his mouh and disappear into the depths of his oesophagus.

"Now, my precious little Uchiha, I have shown you my strength. If you want power, seek me. We shall meet again."

The vile man's hands came together in an odd hand seal. Suddenly, his neck extended like a long white rope, bringing his head to her neck.

Paralysed, she kneeled there helplessly as the sannin bit into her neck. A sharp sting ran across her neck, before it dulled into a tingle.

The sannin opened his jaws, releasing her from his bite as his head returned to his body. "Remember… if you wish to have power to defeat your brother, simply call on my power and you'll have what you desire."

In a blur of motion, he was gone. Sakura was released from his terrifying killing intent and ran towards Sayuri to help her.

But it was too late, for she collasped face-first onto the floor, pain erupting relentlessly from the bite on her neck.

Once she hit the floor, all was black for her.

The pain ceased, and when her eyes flooded open, she was greeted by the sight of her clan compound. What the heck was she doing here?

Out of the shadows of the main house, a man stepped forward. He had long brown hair cut short on top and two locks wrapped in bandages framing either side of his face. His eyebrows were cut short - a symbol of his nobility - and his eyes had blue markings around them, which were turned up at the corners. He wore a high-collared, light-coloured kimono held closed by a dark sash, and the collar was adorned with magatama. He wore a black full-bodied suit underneath.

Sayuri opened her mouth to speak but found she couldn't. In his eyes, a red iris was marked with a black swirl similar to the Uzumaki clan's insignia.

"Greetings, Uchiha Sayuri. I am Indra Otsutsuki."

Author's Notes:  
Finally done! It took forever to get this chapter done as with the new school year, I was drowning in homework and projects. I sincerely apologise for my tardiness, and thank you for your kind patience! Now please, do review and look forward to the next chapter!

Until tomorrow,  
Ja Ne


	10. Recovery Into The Preliminaries

Asura's Transmigrant

Chapter 10: Recovery Into The Preliminaries

Previously:

"Greetings, Uchiha Sayuri. I am Indra Otsutsuki. But first, let me get rid of a pest."

As the man said so, he went to the main hall, where a huge, glowing purple symbol was stuck to the wall. It was three tomoes in a circle, a seal of some sort.

The man reached into the seal and yanked hard, causing a whitish apparition of Orochimaru to materialise in his hand. Indra uttered, "Begone."

A bright glow enveloped the apparition as it disappeared. "I have just removed Orochimaru's soul from the cursed seal, so you are free to use it without any influence or impedement."

Her eyes narrowed as she stood up. "Who are you?"

The man replied, "Simply put, you are my transmigrant. My father was a great man, the Rikudo Sennin of the legends. When he chose to let my brother, Asura, become his successor, I… I was determined to wrangle this power back for it is my birthright."

"After I died, my chakra left my mortal vessel and reincarnated into various individuals, including the infamous Uchiha Madara. My brother transmigrated as well, into Senju Hashirama - the Shodai Hokage and Madara's rival. As you can see, both our chakras have reincarnated many times, our feud burning bright and transforming from a clash of ideals to mindless conflict. In this life, I am you, and you, I have high hopes for. You must put an end to this feud by ending Asura's life and vanquishing his chakra. You are practically the last of my descendants as the last Uchiha so I need you to end this once and for all."

"But who might this Asura be in this life?" Sayuri asked, though she had a feeling she already knew the answer. "A boy by the name of Uzumaki Naruto."

Indra observed her reaction closely as she winced. "A boy, I see, you know and harbour romantic feelings for. I do share thoughts with you, you know."

Sayuri took a step back. "I will not kill him. A thing I can do is to avenge your fallen descendants by killing their killer; I shall end my brother."

Indra shook his head. "Ah, Uchiha Itachi. My brother's ideals burn strongly within him." Sayuri was puzzled by this, but let the Otsutsuki continue.

"He is a powerful foe, perhaps even stronger than Madara. To kill him, you will need a lot more power - the same power that Uzumaki Naruto possess. The power of my father. However, you shall be gifted with Yin instead of Yang, to hurt instead of heal. Behold… the Rinnegan."

Sayuri instantly felt a burning sensation in her left eye. "Since you already have the Mangekyo Sharingan, having the Rinnegan will automatically grant you the eternal variant."

The Uchiha was confused. "What eternal variant?" "You see, the Mangekyo does not last forever. The more you use it, the poorer your vision gets until you reach total blindness. To mitigate that, transplanting a Mangekyo Sharingan of someone close to you will give you the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, which will never see the darkness ever again," Indra explained.

"Now let me explain what other powers you get from this dojutsu. The Rinnegan are able to see chakra, as well as its flow within the body and at least eight tenketsu. One who possesses the Rinnegan can master any jutsu as well as all five nature transformations with ease. Last of all basic abilities, Rinnegan users are able to create black receivers to which they can transmit their chakra."

"Now, with the Rinnegan-specific jutsus. First, and most useful, is Amenotejikara (Heavenly Hand Power). I won't go into details, but its basic ability allows you to 'shift', meaning you switch places with anything within 50 metres of your choosing. If done with air, it appears as teleportation but clearly, swapping is much more useful. You can also swap the position of two other things without moving yourself, making this jutsu really versatile."

The Uchiha nodded.

"Secondly, we have Rinbo: Hengoku (Limbo: Border Jail), a technique which allows you to project up to five shadows into the invisible world of Limbo. They operate independently, even attacking, defending or restraining enemies but they will return to you after five minutes, where there is an interval before you can project them again. The shadows are invulnerable to physical attacks except those with Rikudo Senjutsu. Additionally, only sages and Rinnegan wielders can sense and see them respectively."

"Next is the Rikudō no Jutsu (Six Paths Jutsu), comprising of Tendō (Deva Path), Shuradō (Asura Path), Ningendō (Human Path), Chikushodō (Animal Path), Gakidō (Preta Path), Jigokudō (Naraka Path), and the seventh, most powerful and forbidden: Gedō (Outer Path)," Indra continued.

"Tendō allows you to manipulate the forces of gravity through four jutsus: Shinra Tensei (Almighty Push), Banshō Tenin (Universal Pull), Chibaku Tensei (Planetary Devastation) and Tengai Shinsei (Shattered Heaven). I'll go into details later."

"Shuradō augments your body by granting you mechanical limbs, weaponry and armour as well as increased physical strength. Two main jutsus utilise Shuradō: Shura no Kō (Chakra Propulsion Cannon) and Kaiwan no Hiya (Arm Cannon)."

"Ningendō allows you to read anyone's mind by pulling out their soul, resulting in death for him. You can do this through the Kyūkon no Jutsu (Soul Absorption Jutsu)."

"Next, Chikushodō lets you summon various animals through a single jutsu - Kuchiyose: Rinnegan (Summoning: Rinnegan). Every summon is immortal and has properties which make them unique, such as heads which multiply when they get cut off, or claws which propel jets of water. Some can even use jutsus."

"The Preta Path is one that you will find yourself using a lot. It enables you to absorb any technique and thus, dispel its effects through Fūjutsu Kyūin (Blocking Technique Absorption Seal), a highly advanced fuinjutsu. A word of warning, though: you do not want to absorb a sage's techniques, as your body will not be able to handle the natural energy and you will turn to stone."

"The Jigokudō is the last of the Six Paths and allows you to summon the King Of Hell for two purposes: interrogation and restoration. It grabs the victim's tongue and if he tells the truth, he will live, albeit paralysed. If he lies, he will die. As for restoring, entering the King Of Hell's mouth will restore you to full health regardless of your injury, replacing even severed limbs as long as the injury doesn't cause instant death. Even if it does… we have the seventh path."

"The Outer Path is the most powerful of the Paths, despite not technically being one of the Rikudō no Jutsu. It is the power which transcends life and death, bringing the dead back to life with the Gedō: Rinne Tensei no Jutsu (Outer Path: Rebirth Jutsu). You can also summon a powerful entity through Kuchiyose: Gedō Mazō (Summoning: Demonic Statue Of The Outer Path), but I wouldn't do it if I were you. That is all," Indra finished explaining.

"My Yin power, when added to any jutsu, shall immediately amplify its effects a thousandfold; do use it wisely," Indra added.

"Lastly, your eyes are indeed unique as you are the second to awaken the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, the first being Madara. Your Rinnegan, unlike others, possess the Six Paths Chakra so it has six tomoe on the first two ripples. Whenever you overuse the Rinnegan, however, you will lose the tomoe for two minutes, as well as the EMS, which abilities I will elaborate on now."

Indra proceeded to teach her about Amaterasu, Kagutsuchi, Tsukuyomi, Kamui, Kotoamatsukami and Susanoo.

By the time he was done, Sayuri was sure this would surely be enough to take down her brother. "What's the catch? I am sure there must be some huge drawback for all this power."

"With my power, you will have enough to eliminate most foes in your way. The only one that can still stand up to you, is my brother's vessel. That is the drawback; you eventually have to kill the one you love so dearly," Indra said.

"Then forget about it. I will rid this world of evil, avenge your descendants, but I will not vanquish the one I treasure most. You can have your power back, Indra," Sayuri replied decisively.

The Otsutsuki shrugged. "The power is still yours, and it's completely up to you who you wish to kill. I await your choices in life. When you are ready to train, simply think of me and I shall speak with you once more."

As he said so, Sayuri felt a tugging sensation as she was pulled away from her mindscape and back to reality.

Indra was left there as he stood there thinking, "Let's play a game, otouto. I am sick and tired of our conflict and I wish to end this as much as you do, so let's see whose beliefs have more influence; my Curse Of Hatred versus your Will Of Fire. Should Sayuri decide to follow your Will Of Fire, I will lose and will never reincarnate again, and the converse applies. Let this be our final battle… Asura."

Reality

Sayuri's eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the influx in light. It appeared that they were resting in the bottom of a tree trunk. Yes, in. It was a huge tree.

Sakura's hand was hovering above her wound, surrounding the area with green light. "You're awake," Sakura noted.

The Uchiha sat up and noticed Naruto lying beside her. "How's Naruto?" asked Sayuri worriedly. He had definitely gone through a lot in that battle with Orochimaru.

"He's fine," the Haruno replied, removing her hand once the wound had closed completely. "His advanced healing factor meant that he recuperated quickly from any injuries. However, his chakra is being blocked by some kind of seal. As for you, you were stabbed from the back till the sword emerged from your ribcage - a very deep wound but luckily, it missed any vital organs as I think Orochimaru was not aiming to kill you. I've been trying to heal your wound for the past four hours and my chakra has been drained dry. Please take over watch from me, I'll sleep now."

Without waiting for a reply, Sakura lay down on her side and closed her eyes, drained unconcious. The Uchiha stood up and exited the hollow.

She stretched her arms and legs as she recalled her encounter with Indra. Now it all made sense; everything about Naruto was put to light.

Suddenly, she was hit with a sense of foreboding. "Let's test this out, shall we?" the Uchiha muttered to herself, channelling chakra to her eyes.

Her left spun into a regal purple colour, with many concentric ripples ringing the pupil. Three tomoes lined each of the first two rings.

Her right eye bled a vermilion red, before the tomoes spun and merged, expanding into an inverse red atom model with a black background.

Her visual acuity increased a hundred times, and even lines appeared everywhere, judging the motion of objects and their trajectory, including forces and resistance.

Three blue flames appeared in the distance, twenty metres away. Quickly approaching, Sayuri's eyes calculated that they were roughly four seconds away.

The first shinobi burst out of the line of trees, only for Sayuri to raise her hand. "Shinra Tensei!" An invisible force (though visible exclusively to her eyes) rippled out from her hand, covering a wide area quickly and pushing back everything in its path. So this was the force of gravity.

The man was thrown back and hit a tree. He then got up, hacking blood as his two teammates arrived by his side. "Are you Uchiha Sayuri?" the Oto-nin questioned.

Her eyes glowed a briliant red and majestic purple, indicating that this girl was indeed the one they were looking for.

"No shit," his teammate muttered to him while preparing her tools. "Let me guess… Orochimaru's lapdogs," the Uchiha remarked coldly.

The third Oto-nin growled. "Zaku, show her the power of sound!" The first Oto-nin charged at her, shooting out his hands which were wrapped with gauntlets.

"Ninpo: Zankūha (Ninja Art: Decapitating Airwaves)!" Zaku shouted, blasting a huge wave of sound at Sayuri.

She could, however, see them clearly so avoiding them was a mere test of agility. "But how can she… oh I see, it's her eyes," Zaku stated confidently.

Sayuri charged at him, engaging him in a vicious, one-sided taijutsu battle. Within seven seconds, she had his arm in a wrist lock. Tugging hard, she twisted it till it broke and rammed her foot into his face.

The kunoichi came at her, so she decided to kick Zaku out of the way. Sayuri sidestepped the first attack. Once the kunoichi landed, she lunged at the Uchiha.

The girl ran around Sayuri, seemingly circling her but in truth, was winding a web of ninja wire around her.

Of course, Sayuri had no trouble seeing the extremely thin wires and so knew that it was coming.

The girl smirked as she stood up, having fully spun the trap. She flicked her fingers, causing sound to ring from the bells lining the wire.

The Uchiha's eyebrow twitched. It was insulting that one would try a genjutsu on an Uchiha. Her right eye glowed a bright red as the illusion cleared instantly.

She took a step forward, phasing through the wires. That is, before she disappeared completely. "What?! Impossible!" the kunoichi cried.

She spun around just as Sayuri materialised behind her in a swirl. Her wrist flicked out to smack the Uchiha, however Sayuri caught it by the wrist.

She glared deep into her eyes, glancing into her soul with the very power of her dojutsu. A flaming red ball orbited around the kunoichi, pulling ever closer before its orbit closed and it crushed her, spilling her guts everywhere.

The Uchiha released the girl as soon as she fell unconcious, hitting the floor. Sayuri cast a glance at the remaining shinobi.

"Ninpo: Zankūkyokuha (Ninja Art: Extreme Decapitating Airwaves)!" the Oto-nin exclaimed. A huge wind tore from his hands, blasting straight for Sayuri and the tree where her friends were resting.

Indra's words came to her. "Fūjutsu Kyūin!" she called, thrusting out both her hands. A whitish aura surrounded her as the air from the jutsu was sucked and funnelled into her body, dispersed with a reverse spin.

She noticed him disappearing in a shunshin, and knew what was coming before he even reached her. His chakra materialised behind her, pulling him along.

The Uchiha ducked anticipatorily, rotating on her heel. Her eyes saw where his hands were about to go and rose to block them. The Uchiha hands flew to his forearms in quick succession, tossing him skyward.

Her chokuto was unsheathed and launched at him. It sailed through the air swiftly, piercing the right side of his chest.

Once it flew behind him, Sayuri activated her shifting technique. "Amenotejikara," she uttered, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Her sword replaced her, stabbed into the ground where she was earlier. She materialised behind him, her hands crackling with fearsome black lightning.

"Rikudō Inton: Chidori (Six Paths Yin Style: Chidori)!" she shouted over the fierce cry of a Thousand Birds. With precision, she flew down and struck the man right in his beating heart, tearing a huge chunk of gory flesh out of his body.

That sent him to instant death, collasping before his two teammates, who backed away hastily. "Here you can have our scroll!" Zaku cried in fear as he dropped his scroll on the floor.

Immediately, the Oto-nin picked up the still unconcious kunoichi and fled for his life, not even turning back for his dead comrade. Sayuri's eyes faded back to their usual onxy hue as she discarded the bloody piece of cardiac muscle she had ripped from the Oto-nin.

She walked calmly over to her chokuto and pulled it from the ground before sheathing it. She then picked up the Earth scroll and returned to the shade of the huge tree.

Naruto was still fast asleep and Sakura was unconcious. She turned on her Rinnegan again; now, she could clearly see the obstruction in his chakra flow due to some purple chakra. Slowly, however, it was being eaten away by some orange chakra, seemingly mending the damage to his chakra circulatory system. That must have been Asura's chakra.

Sakura, on the other hand, had some serious chakra backlash. Her chakra level was life-threateningly low, though it was slowly recovering drop by drop. She would need a soldier pill if she were to think of moving.

Sayuri reached into her pouch and withdrew a soldier pill, slipping it into Sakura's mouth. The Haruno's chakra surged suddenly, increasing to half of her natural reserves.

Sayuri was impatient and having two teammates who couldn't move would be a pain. The Uchiha needed at least one teammate to be fully concious or they wouldn't make it to the tower alive.

She clapped her hands together, invoking a summoning array outside the tree. Purple flames rose from the grass floor as the King Of Hell's head emerged.

Its mouth opened and two appendages shot out, wrapping around the bodies of her teammates. With a tug, it pulled both Naruto and Sakura into its mouth, which shut tight.

Five seconds later, its mouth flew open and her two teammates came tumbling out concious. The two stood up slowly, orientating themselves.

Naruto looked back and was stunned to see the fierce scowl adorned on the King Of Hell's head. Silently, it sank into the ground and vanished with the purple flames.

"W-What the hell was that?" asked Naruto.

Sayuri was tempted to make a pun but instead, pointed to her eyes. "New power. Now's not the time to explain, we'll talk once we get to the tower."

She flashed the Earth scroll temporarily before taking off. Sakura shrugged and followed suit, as did the blond Uzumaki.

When they neared the centre of the forest, Sayuri detected a thin veil of chakra surrounding it. Naruto could sense the disturbance as well, a wide, shimmering curtain of chakra covering the tower.

Sayuri brought the Tairitsu no In to her face. "Kai!" Her chakra flared as her eyes saw through the mirage, causing it to dissipate.

Instantly, Naruto felt the oppresive chakra vanish into thin air. Clearly, it had been a genjutsu to weed out those who were about to reach the tower. Though if any team had been strong enough to make it this far, they probably wouldn't be stopped by a mere genjutsu.

With the tower now in sight, Team 7 quickly made their way to the base. They circled it once, and realised that there was not a single entrance.

Of course, Sayuri could simply blow a hole through the wall but it was designed for entry to every team of genins, of which only a few could blow a hole through the wall.

Sakura reasoned, "I suppose the only logical solution would be to open both scrolls. After all, the test revolved around obtaining both scrolls and there weren't any rules forbidding the opening of the scrolls, so…" Sayuri nodded and withdrew both scrolls, placing them on the floor.

She then unfurled both in a cross, revealing a summoning seal array. In a burst of smoke, Iruka appeared.

He was surprised to see his three former students, but greeted them with a smile. "I see, it's you three! Congratulations, you're the second team to make it after the Suna team! Now step on to the seal with me," he instructed. Once they did so, he went through a string of hand seals and a bright light consumed them.

Together with the scrolls, they reappeared inside the building. "I'm sure you all need to have some well-deserved rest. I shall not disturb you guys any further; the bunks are upstairs on the second floor. This is the first floor, where all the administration takes place so you can find any instructiors here. Ater the Second Exam ends on Friday, the Third Exam will be held in the arena on the third floor on Saturday. That's all for now, ja ne!" Iruka said.

"Thanks Iruka-sensei!" replied Naruto. The chunin waved before leaving their company. Sayuri supressed a yawn before stating, "It's getting late, I'm turning in now."

Naruto merely nodded along but had an uneasy feeling that something was wrong, almost like he had forgotten something… "Shimata, I left Karin behind!" the Uzumaki realised. In their rush to leave the place, he had not thought of that.

Sakura was confused. "Who?" Naruto explained to his two teammates about his distant relative, whom he had brought with him to the battleground but lost sight of.

Sayuri theorised, "I didn't sense anyone else in the vicinity after the battle, I don't think Sakura did while she was healing us immediately after the battle either. Orochimaru might've taken her away with him for her power."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Konoyaro!" he swore, his fists clenched. His eyes flashed orange for a moment, before he calmed down. "I will get that bastard snake-"

"Calm down, Naruto. We will devise a way to get her back if possible, but right now the best we can do is to rest," stated Sayuri.

"She's right," Sakura added. "Oyasumi," Sayuri said simply before turning to walk upstairs. Sakura followed suit, leaving Naruto to collect his thoughts before he arrived at the same conclusion: rest was of paramount importance and thinking about her would only trouble him.

Third Floor, Saturday

It was the 21st of June, the day of the Third Exam. Naruto could not wait to get home but it seemed the Sandaime had other plans.

They were gathered in the arena on the third floor of the tower, a huge hall consisting of a viewing platform which ringed the perimeter of the walls 5 metres above the floor. At one end of the room was a huge statue of the Sandaime's hands in the Hitsuji seal.

The man himself was clad in his regalia, next to all his proctors. "Firstly, congratulations to everyone on making it this far. However, since too many teams made it into the Third Exam, we will be holding a prelimary round," the aged Hokage announced.

Many groaned, especially a certain Nara. A coughing tokubetsu jonin spoke up. "If you don't mind, Hokage-sama, I shall take over the briefing." He turned to the chunin hopefuls and continued, "I am Gekko Hayate, proctor of the Third Exam. Before we begin the prelims, does anyone wish to leave? At this stage, leaving will not affect your team as a whole so feel free to do so. Injuries and deaths at this stage are likely, so please take it into consideration."  
Kabuto raised his hand and spoke, "I give up. I still have not healed completely from my injuries." At this, many started to give up. If the second stage was bad, this was worse as it forced confrontation and each candidate was on their own without teammates to help them.

After a while, all but eighteen contestants were left. Hayate observed the dwindled crowd nonchalantly and asked, "Is that all? If so, we shall begin."

The remaining people nodded. The proctor pointed to a screen on the wall. Names flashed across it, and when it stopped, the first two contestants were decided.

"Uchiha Sayuri of Konohagakure, versus Akado Yoroi of Konohagakure," Hayate announced. The two stayed on the arena ground while the rest made their way up to the platform.  
"The rules are simple: when I say start, start. When I declare a winner, the match is to halt immediately regardless of how close you are to killing your opponent, which by the way, is discouraged. Failure to observe the rules will result in disqualification. Is that clear?" Hayate asked.

Both nodded as they sized up their opponent. "If there's nothing else… hajime!" the tokubetsu jonin declared, jumping back.

Yoroi burst into a sprint towards Sayuri, who stood still. Her eyes bled red, with tomoes spinning into a warped pattern in her right eye. Her left eye was ringed, turning a deep purple colour.

She waited calmly as Yoroi lunged at her, observing how chakra was gathered in his right hand. As soon as he landed within her range, Sayuri took a step back and brought up her arms to block the strike.

His right hand buzzed with chakra upon coming in contact with her skin, but no visible effect occurred, leading her to the conclusion that it was a passive technique.

With her Rinnegan, she noticed how some of her chakra had been siphoned and transferred to him through his hand. So his ability was to absorb chakra…

"Shinra Tensei!" A vicious force picked up Yoroi and tossed him away, also cracking the floor in a ten metre radius around her. This match was about to be as one-sided as it could get.

Her Rinnegan glowed a bright purple before she disappeared, reintegrating behind Yoroi. With a powerful kick, she launched the Konoha-nin towards the ground.

Before he could hit it, though, an invisible force caught and restrained him. "Rinbo: Hengoku," she intoned as she walked towards her shadow which currently held the man trying to escape.

"If this is a competition to see who can absorb more chakra… well, let's see how far this can go," Sayuri whispered to the man, who was struggling feebly to break out of the grip of her shadow.

"Fūjutsu Kyūin." A whitish aura in the shape of a bubble wrapped around her. She thrust out a palm towards Yoroi, causing his chakra to start flowing into her at an immeasurable pace.

Within seconds, the Konoha-nin's face began to pale visibly, the effects of chakra loss beginning to show. The blue flame respresenting his chakra presence diminished rapidly, until a tiny spark was left.

It was only then that the Uchiha stopped her jutsu, out of mercy for a fellow shinobi. Her shadow vanished, causing the man to slump and crash onto the floor abruptly.

Sayuri didn't even bother waiting before walking away. "Shosha: Uchiha Sayuri! Next… Aburame Shino of Konohagakure versus Akimichi Choji of Konohagakure," Hayate announced, before coughing.

As both made their way down, medics arrived quickly and carried Yoroi away on a stretcher. Sayuri walked to the platform, and contemplated on her performance earlier.

"Hajime!" As both her ex-classmates engaged in the spar, she watched on while her mind was really drifting away. She had purposely chosen not to stand next to her teammates, to prevent any interruption from her thoughts.

The Rinnegan. It was certainly a great boost to her arsenal, a powerful tool. However, judging from the match earlier, this power had made her… arrogant. Her pride as an Uchiha had made it hard to admit this, but she had overcome the blindness that pride brought to her. Though Yoroi was indeed a weak opponent, this arrogance would only serve to make her underestimate potentially dangerous enemies. That could prove fatal, thus she really needed to keep this arrogance in check-

"Sayuri-chan! Why don't you join us?" Naruto's voice rang suddenly. She resisted the urge to facepalm. So just because she didn't go to them, he dragged Kakashi and Sakura over instead. Well, she couldn't say it was totally unexpected…

"Gomen, I had a lot on my mind," Sayuri explained. Kakashi raised an eyebrow, but stayed silent. "Shosha: Aburame Shino!" Team 7 turned at the sudden announcement, realising that the match had ended.

Choji laid flat on the floor, bugs flying off from his body and returning to the hooded Aburame. As medics carted the obese shinobi away, Hayate continued, "Next up, we have Tsurugi Misumi of Konohagakure versus Sabaku no Kankuro of Sunagakure."

"Hajime!" Once the proctor leapt back, Misumi did not hesitate to lunge for the Suna-nin. Said ninja sidestepped the initial pounce, and pulled the wrapped package of his back.

Sayuri mused, "This would be a great opportunity to witness a kugutsutsukai at work… let's see how his puppet functions." With that, she activated her dojutsu to observe the match. She gasped, but quickly recovered into a smirk. What an interesting strategy he had.

Kankuro set the package down and jumped away, followed closely behind by Misumi. A brief taijutsu clash ensued before Misumi brought him into a stranglehold. A series of cracks and snaps were heard as the Konoha-nin dislocated his own joints through a jutsu, granting him inhuman flexibility.

"You have lost. Concede, or I will break your neck," Misumi threatened. Suddenly, Kankuro's mouth opened incredibly wide, before closing. This occured repeatedly, creating a haunting clacking sound which sounded like maniacal laughter.

The wrapped package burst, revealing the real Kankuro. "We'll see about that!" He gestured his hands rapidly, his fingers swinging dexterously while manipulating thin threads of chakra attached to the "Kankuro" in Misumi's clutches.

"Kankuro" broke into multiple sections, breaking out of his grip and revealing whirring machinery and gears within. "So this is what a puppet looks like," Naruto thought, recalling the time Kankuro almost used Karasu on the streets.

The Suna-nin smirked, before closing his fingers. The puppet reassembled, trapping Misumi within its wooden and metallic body. "Now I'll break your bones, since you seem to like dislocating them so much..."

With that, he closed his fist. The chakra threads collasped, bringing the puppet together with sickening snaps.

The proctor paused for a few seconds, till he determined there was no longer any movement from the puppet's insides. "Shosha: Sabaku no Kankuro!"

The Suna-nin smirked before gesturing his fingers, causing the puppet to snap open and return to his side. The crumpled form of Misumi fell to the floor and medics began to carry him away.

The screen on the wall flashed with names once again, and stopped at the next two names. "Haruno Sakura of Konohagakure versus Yamanaka Ino of Konohagakure!" The two girls were shocked as they realised who their opponent was. Their faces turned into looks of determination upon realising that this was their chance to prove once and for all, who was better.

Both kunoichis stared at each other intently once they reached the arena floor. Hayate looked at the two of them before announcing, "Hajime!"

The two launched themselved at each other, engaging in a taijutsu brawl. Naruto raised an eyebrow as he observed his ex-classmates fight; clearly, taijutsu was neither of their fortes, yet they still chose to do it. Ino had the upper hand in ninjutsu due to her clan, that was for sure. Sakura only knew medical ninjutsu, and that would doom her if she couldn't end this match quickly.

Ino gripped Sakura's arm and tossed her to the floor, where she recovered and flipped over the Yamanaka while firing off multiple projectiles.

The blond girl dodged them, catching the last one and sending it back to Sakura. The Haruno barely avoided it, getting a scrape on her arm.

Sakura brought her other arm over the wound, and her palm glowed green as it closed. Everyone above was marvelled as it was rare to see medical ninjutsu employed in a match.

The Haruno re-entered the battle, and the two childhood friends continued to fight on roughly equal ground. To be honest, it was not a very eventful match. There was however, only one exciting instance where Ino used her clan's Shintenshin no Jutsu on Sakura. Surprisingly, she managed to break out of it.

Eventually, the two kunoichi had tired each other out, and went for a final punch which knocked out both of them simultaneously.

The proctor looked at the two still bodies, before sighing. "As both contestants are unable to continue, by double knockout, I consider this a draw. The fifth match: Tenten of Konohagakure versus Sabaku no Temari of Sunagakure!"

"Hajime!" This time, the match was much more eventful. Tenten's mastery of bukijutsu was astounding. Unfortunately, she was matched with the wrong opponent. As Naruto and Sayuri had guessed, the tessen on Temari's back was used to execute wind techniques, which easily countered any of the weapon specialist's techniques.

This advantage led to the Suna-nin's victory, as she ended the match with a powerful fūton jutsu. Naruto winced as Tenten plunged from mid-air and hit the floor, her arms covered with numerous lacerations.

"Shosha: Sabaku no Temari! Next, we have… Nara Shikamaru of Konohagakure versus Tsuchi Kin of Otogakure!"

The lazy Nara groaned at having to move his ass, especially to fight a girl. On the other hand, said opponent was rather excited and ready to fight.

Those who knew Shikamaru well were aware that he already had a hundred plans swirling in his mind, waiting for the right combination to set one off even as he strolled down the stairs.

When he finally got to the floor, Hayate announced, "Hajime!" The Nara observed his opponent lazily as she charged at him.

At the last possible moment, he dodged to the side. She spun around and began a barrage of punches and kicks which he countered one by one.

Finally, she managed to get one past his guard and launched a kick to his stomach, throwing him back. Shikamaru rolled to a stop and got up, just in time to see her flick several senbons at him. Without much effort, the Nara evaded the airborne needles, which surrounded him with ninja wire once they planted themselves into the wall and floor. Attached to these wires were small, miniature bells.

The Nara raised an eyebrow, as he watched his opponent form a hand sign. Suddenly, the bells began to ring, emitting a sound reminscent of a wind chime. Shikamaru's vision blurred and he started seeing double; this left him unable to see the coming attacks.

Multiple senbons pierced his body, causing him to fall to one knee as he was transformed into a pincushion. The attacks stopped as Kin taunted, "Is this the best you can do, Nara? I've heard of the famed Kagemane no Jutsu (Shadow Posession Jutsu)… where is it now?"

Shikamaru paused, before raising his head slowly. Plastered on his face was a smirk. "You asked for it..." All of a sudden, Kin was paralysed and unable to move.

But how? She was sure that she was out of range of his clan's technique, and given that he was only a genin, being 15 metres away should have been sufficient. The details came to her and she groaned internally as realisation hit her.

The shadows of the wires linking her to the senbon around him were jet-black, infused with inton chakra by Shikamaru. So he had apparently used the natural shadows of the wires between him and her to extend the range of his technique.

She wanted to snarl, but she couldn't so she settled for scowling at him. The Nara said simply, "I, Kin Tsuchi…" She found herself forced to repeat after him. "… forfeit this match."

Once the last three words left her mouth, the proctor nodded in acknowledgement of the declaration. "Shosha: Nara Shikamaru!" The spectators applauded, especially those from Konoha. Their compatriot's strategy was brilliant, as expected of the son of the Nara clan head.

Hayate looked at the screen as it flashed again, flickering through the remaining eight names. "Seventh match: Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure versus…"

"Inuzuka Kiba of Konohagakure!" The two former classmates and rivals looked up at each other, smiling as they descended the stairs to the arena.

As they faced each other, Naruto voiced out, "Give me your best shot, Kiba." The Inuzuka smirked, replying, "I will! You too, Naruto." The ninken by his side yapped in agreement.

Sayuri watched with little concern. Given Naruto's powers, he would be able to triumph over Kiba within seconds. At the same time, she knew that his honour and his love for friends would make him not use his inheritance, for he was aware of its vast power. The Uchiha sighed. Naruto… her heart ached once more at the thought of him.

Naruto's hand went to the back of his cloak, returning to the front of his body after detaching the Celestial Cloud-Gathering Sword and its sheath from his belt.

Holding the sheathed sword in his left hand, Naruto brought his right hand to his chest and formed the Seal of Confrontation. The Uzumaki smiled gently.

Kiba respectfully mirrored his friend, grinning as well. Hayate eyed the two and announced:

"Hajime!"

Author's Notes:  
It's been so long since I last updated (the first of February)! A huge, huge sorry to all of you for that, but I was really busy with the new school year as well as additional responsibilties in being a member of my organisation's executive committee. With my end of year exams over, I can now return to writing :D I can't wait to write the Valley of the End for you all! Thank you all for your continuous support despite the long hiatus, I'm finally back! Do look forward to the following chapters as my holidays are about to begin. Please review this chapter, I have kinda lost my touch and style with writing so your opinion would be greatly appreciated :)

Until tomorrow,  
Ja Ne


	11. Training With The Sages

Asura's Transmigrant

Chapter 11: Training With The Sages

Previously:  
"Hajime!"

The two opponents flew towards each other, with Naruto closing the gap first due to his immense speed.

They exchanged blows rapidly, and the Uzumaki was fighting his opponent with only a single hand as his other hand was still on the sheathed Elucidator. Naruto went for a low kick, which Kiba countered by pushing his foot away.

Naruto executed a front flip, stretching out his leg in an axe kick. Kiba gasped when he saw the speed at which it was coming and took two steps back.

Naruto's foot missed the Inuzuka narrowly and smashed into the arena floor, the impact causing the tiles to shatter into smithereens. The Uzumaki capitalised on the stunned Kiba and tossed his sword upwards before lunging at him with a palm thrust.

Luckily for Kiba, his hands raised in time to intercept the thrust. However, the strength behind it was far too great and launched the Inuzuka into the arena wall ten metres away.

It was at this moment that Akamaru jumped at him with a feral snarl to protect his master. With both hands, Naruto caught his sword by the handle and swung it in a wide arc such that the sheath disengaged from the blade.

The adamantine sheath ploughed into the small white ninken, its weight throwing the dog off his trajectory. Kiba got up with a kunai in hand and began an assault on Naruto.

The Uzumaki fended off the Inuzuka's strikes easily, deftly parrying any swipe or slash from him. Suddenly, Kiba leapt back and landed on all fours. He shouted, "Gijū Ninpō: Shikyaku no Jutsu (Beast Mimicry Ninja Art: All Fours Jutsu)!"

With incredible unprecedented speed, Kiba lunged at Naruto, knocking his sword out his hand and landing on him.

Kiba raised a fist and struck the Uzumaki with great force, causing him to disperse into smoke. Surprised, he looked up just in time to see the real Naruto land a strike to his stomach.

The Uzumaki whispered "Gomen" before sweeping his legs from under him. The Inuzuka landed on the floor, after which Naruto gave him a kick and raised his hand skyward.

Chakra amassed quickly in his right hand, his forearm glowing orange. He plunged his fist to the right of Kiba's head, causing the surrounding ground to explode in a show of potent chakra.

The Inuzuka surrendered hastily. "Proctor, I forfeit this match." Hayate nodded in acknowledgment as Naruto smiled, his outstretched right arm dimming while he formed the Seal of Reconciliation with Kiba. Gripping the Inuzuka's hand, he then pulled him up to a standing position. "You did a good job, Kiba. Your Shikyaku was impressive."

The Inuzuka laughed, exclaiming, "You did even better than me. That chakra fist was sick!" Naruto smirked in amusement, not bothering to hear as the proctor announced his victory. To the mirth of the spectators, the two combatants retrieved their respective companions and equipment before ascending the stairs together, sharing a conversation.

Hayate smiled. This was what it meant to be a shinobi, a brother-in-arm. His attention returned to the flashing screen which dictated the next two opponents.

"The eight match: Hyuga Hinata of Konohagakure versus Hyuga Neji of Konohagakure!" Hinata, the shy Byakugan princess, gasped and was taken aback by the match-up. She was fearful of her cousin, who was giving her a cold stare.

As both met on the arena floor, Neji started by saying, "Hinata-sama... this is your chance to give up and forfeit, for you are a weakling. Fate has already declared me the winner of this match. I promise you, I will not hesitate to end your life."

Naruto scowled from the spectator platform as he stood next to Sayuri. "What the heck is he saying? Isn't she his own cousin? His own flesh and blood?"

Sayuri sighed but kept quiet, opting to activate her Sharingan to observe their movements. This match would be interesting to watch given the Hyuga clan's prominent taijutsu style, the Juken. It was the most reputable and fearsome taijutsu style in all of Konoha due to its ability to inflict severe internal trauma with minimal external force as well as the manipulation of an opponent's chakra pathway system.

Hinata glanced at Naruto, before looking back to her cousin with a determined expression. "Neji-niisan… I will not give up, for that is my ninja way. I will not lose to you!" She adjusted into the Juken's most basic stance.

Neji narrowed his eyes. "Very well then. You'll soon realise, a person who is born weak cannot change his fate!"

"Hajime!" the proctor announced. "Byakugan!" both Hyuga members called. The veins at the side of their eyes bulged as their clan's kekkei genkai activated - all-seeing white eyes which penetrated anything and everything.

Immediately, both closed the gap between them and engaged in a high speed taijutsu match. Chakra flew all around them due to their ability to release chakra from their tenketsu (chakra points), nodes along the chakra pathway system from which chakra can be released.

Blows were exchanged, most deflected or parried. Neji weaved in and out of Hinata's attacks easily, showing himself to be the superior fighter of the two. For a moment, Hinata shot out with a palm thrust.

However, her cousin sidestepped and caught it with his left hand, using his right to strike her outstretched arm. She winced visibly in pain as one of her chakra points were shut down, disrupting the flow of chakra there.

His right hand switched quickly from a two-finger jab to a straight hand, which he used to chop her in the neck swiftly.

Within the next few seconds, his right hand flew to her chest, jabbing and sending chakra to her heart. Then, he flattened his hand into a thrust, creating an explosion of chakra which sent the Hyuga heiress flying back.

Hinata crashed onto the floor, and blood began to drip profusely from her mouth. Sayuri narrowed her eyes as they transitioned to their most powerful form, giving her the insight that Neji had used chakra to damage her heart and the surrounding vital organs.

The Byakugan princess' breath became short and fast as she began to find breathing difficult. Neji tilted his head and said, "Didn't I warn you to expect death for defying Fate, Hinata-sama?"

Despite her poor condition, Hinata coughed out, "N-n-no, Neji-niisan… I will n-n-never g-g-ive up…" Slowly, she began to stand.

Neji's eyes twitched in anger. "How dare you defy Fate! A weakling will ALWAYS be a weakling!"

At this, Naruto's grip on the steel railings tightened in rage. Neji took a step forward and lunged towards Hinata, intending to kill her.

Suddenly, he found himself restrained by four jonins. In a blur of speed, he also saw Naruto appear standing in a protective stance in front of the vulnerable heiress. His irises were orange, with a single horizontal bar and a slit over it in a black cross shape in each.

"That chakra… so powerful! Is his blood worthy, Mother?" thought the psychotic jinchuuriki to himself. A deep voice replied, "Yes indeed… but this one… he is different. Watch him but do not fight him." "Yes, Mother…"

Naruto glared at Neji angrily, having detected his intent to kill the Hyuga heiress through his ability to sense negative emotions.

"Neji, I could see that murderous rage in your eyes, and could feel your intent to kill your own cousin! How could you do this to Hinata, your own flesh and blood!" Naruto shouted angrily.

Neji struggled against his restrains, angered by the blond before him. "Is this the special treatment the Main House gets?! Tsk, looks like Fate really is a cruel, unchanging master."

"No, Neji. She tried so hard to fight you, and didn't give up even when her lungs were failing her. Why would you do something so despicable as to murder your own kin, especially for something as stupid as 'resisting her fate'?"

Neji shook his head. "Scum. You are also a failure. You'll never understand, your Fate sticks with you till your very death! Changing it is futile!"

Naruto scowled at him, as did the proctor and rest of the jonins. "You've clearly won, and there was no need for more violence," Hayate spat, before declaring in disgust, "Shosha: Hyuga Neji."

Neji finally gave up struggling, and the jonins let him go after the medics carried Hinata away. "Hyuga Neji, I will defeat you at the Finals and show you that hard work beats talent," vowed Naruto, who then returned to his spot in the stands.

Meanwhile, Sayuri's hand pushed her half-drawn chokuto back into its sheath, no longer seeing the need to intervene. Her vermilion eyes returned to inky black pools.

The board resumed flashing with names, though everyone already knew who would be the last two fighters as they were the only ones left.

"Final match of the preliminaries: Rock Lee of Konohagakure versus Sabaku no Gaara of Sunagakure." The redhead grinned demonically as he made his way down to the arena floor, a stark contrast to the overexcited Lee who had been waiting enthusiastically for his turn.

"Hajime!" "I'm Rock Lee, and I am most excited to fight you, Gaara-san!" the Konoha-nin declared. The redhead murmured, "Entertain me."

At once, the taijutsu specialist took off towards Gaara, spinning in a roundhouse kick. "Konoha Senpū (Leaf Hurricane)!" Lee exclaimed. Sand shot up in response, blocking the kick from connecting.

The Konoha-nin then tried repeatedly to land a punch or kick on Gaara, but it was to no avail as the sand automatically came to his defence.

For the next ten minutes, Lee unsuccessfully attempted to get past the Suna-nin's guard. Finally, the redhead spoke, "Is that all you got? I was expecting more… There isn't enough blood yet!"

With a wave of his hand, sand gushed out of his gourd, rushing towards Lee. The Konoha-nin backflipped out of the way, jumping out of reach of the sand. He then landed on the top of the Sandaime's statue in the arena, looking to his sensei, taijutsu expert Gai.

"Gai-sensei, may I-" Gai waved him off, replying, "No need to ask. Go for it, Lee!" Lee nodded and reached for his orange leg warmers, before withdrawing a set of weights from each one. Holding both sets up, he then let go.

The two weights crashed onto the floor with a loud boom, leading every spectator to stare in amazement. Kakashi looked at Gai and sweatdropped. "Don't you think that's a little too much, Gai?"

The taijutsu specialist shook his head, responding with, "No, my youthful rival. You must understand that like me, Lee is unable to use ninjutsu or genjutsu and can only rely on taijutsu. So, in order to progress to chunin level, his taijutsu must be of higher standards than the average chunin."

Kakashi shook his head in amusement, his eyes returning to the fight. Now, Lee took off with great speed towards Gaara, becoming a blur.

He blitzed the Suna-nin, going faster than the sand could keep up with its defence. Finally, Lee threw a right hook, sending Gaara flying.

The redhead growled as he got up, revealing cracks across his face. Much to everyone's shock, pieces of his face began to turn brown and fall off, revealing his true skin underneath.

Sayuri narrowed her eyes. "An armour made of sand?" She could already tell since from the start of the battle, he was coated from head to toe with chakra. Naruto, on the other hand, was more concerned with the spike in the amount of bloodlust and malevolent chakra he detected.

Lee narrowed his eyes. Given his opponent's defence, he would require a more powerful technique. He crossed his hands in front of him and looked down, closing his eyes and focusing on overloading and opening the First Gate. "Kaimon (Gate Of Opening), kai!"

Naruto looked to Kakashi for an explanation on what was going on. Sayuri, on the other hand, could observe it with her own eyes.

"The Hachimon (Eight Gates) are eight specific tenketsu on a person's Chakra Pathway System which limit the overall flow of chakra within a person's body. The basis for the idea of the chakra gates comes from the body's limits on the functions within it. This makes the body much weaker, but it keeps the body from expiring too soon. By undergoing intense training, one can learn how to open these gates allowing the user to surpass their own physical limits at the cost of extreme damage to their own body. Due to the immense amount of chakra flooding the body all at once, drastic changes can occur upon the user's body. The most common of these changes are the changes to skin colour, eruption of veins around the temples, and the eyes turning completely white," explained Kakashi.

Gai continued, "The Eight Gates are, in order: the Kaimon, Kyūmon (Gate Of Healing), Seimon (Gate Of Life), Shōmon (Gate Of Pain), Tomon (Gate Of Closing), Keimon (Gate Of Joy), Kyōmon (Gate Of Wonder), Shimon (Gate Of Death). Opening all Eight Gates will result in power surpassing the Kages, at the cost of death."

Naruto nodded. "I see, Kakashi-sensei, Gai-sensei. Thank you."

Lee sprinted towards Gaara and prepared his forbidden technique. With blinding speed, the Konoha-nin breached the redhead's barrier and exexuted a swift mule kick, tossing the redhead skyward.

Lee repeatedly kicked the jinchuuriki up, putting great strain on his own body as he did so. He winced in pain as both he and his target finally reached the ceiling.

Lee appeared behind Gaara in a flash of speed, screaming, "Kage Buyō (Shadow Of the Dancing Leaf)!" His body mimicked the redhead's exactly as rolls of bandages around his forearms unravelled, swirling around Gaara and binding him.

The pair dived head-first towards the ground and spun rapidly. "Omote Renge (Primary Lotus)!" Just before they hit the concrete, the Konoha-nin rapidly detached himself and flipped out of the way. The redhead wrapped in bandages crashed into the hard floor, causing the tiles to explode.

As the bandages fell away, they revealed an empty shell of sand that was falling apart. Lee thought, "So that wasn't the real Gaara? When did he- kuso, when I winced earlier, he must've substituted then…"

From behind, he heard the sound of sand rushing towards him. He flipped far away, before landing out of reach of the sand. Gaara looked at him with intimidating, bloodthirsty eyes. "Mother wants your blood… Ryūsa Bakuryū (Sand Tsunami)!"

The floor erupted with sand, rising to a huge wave headed towards Lee. The taijutsu specialist closed his eyes, before reaching a quick decision.

"Kyūmon, kai! Seimon, kai! Shōmon, kai!" The sand that was about to reach was thrown back by a massive blast wave of chakra exuded from Lee, whose body was shrouded in a greenish vapour. The Konoha-nin's face was red from the increased blood flow. He stared at Gaara, shouting, "The lotus of the Leaf blooms twice!"

Before anyone could decipher the cryptic meaning behind his sentence, Lee disappeared in a burst of speed. Suddenly, a loud boom resounded in the arena as Lee launched a kick to Gaara's chin with enough force to send him high into the air.

Then, once again, he disappeared and reappeared around the redhead, contacting him with blows each time he crossed the Suna-nin. Finally, he wrapped Gaara in bandages and pulled the redhead towards him.

With great power and speed, Lee performed a kick and a punch at the same time. "Ura Renge (Hidden Lotus)!" exclaimed Lee. As Gaara was launched towards the ground, the gourd on his back dissolved into sand, cushioning his fall. Nonetheless, the impact left him smarting with intense pain.

Lee was in as much pain as Gaara was due to the drawback of the Eight Gates. He collasped to the floor in incredible agony, rendering him immobile.

Gaara's head tilted to look at his opponent as both lay on the floor. He raised his right hand, gesturing it towards Lee. "Sabaku Kyū (Sand Coffin)!"

Sand flew towards the Konoha-nin, intending to bind him within its clutches. Gai decided to take action. In a flash, he appeared in front of Lee and knocked away the sand.

Gaara looked at Gai, silently demanding an explanation for his behaviour. "Why do you protect him so?"

Gai replied firmly, "Because Lee is my student. He is precious to me." Gaara's eyes widened. "Precious?" Then, he responded as he stood up. "Forget it."

He began to walk away as the proctor announced, "As Rock Lee of Konogakure is unable to continue, the winner is Sabaku no Gaara of Sungakure."

As medics brought Lee away, Hayate continued, "This concludes the preliminaries of the Third Stage of the Chunin Exams. All victors, please report here now."

The eight victors stepped forward. They were asked to write their names on pieces of paper, which were then balloted to decide the matchups for the Finals.

"First match: Hyuga Neji versus Uzumaki Naruto. Second match: Sabaku no Kankuro versus Aburame Shino. Third match: Sabaku no Temari versus Nara Shikamaru. Fourth match: Uchiha Sayuri versus Sabaku no Gaara. The victor from match one will fight that of match two, and the same for matches three and four; the victors of matches five and six will then engage in match seven, the final match determining a final winner for the Chunin Exams. The Finals will be held in about three weeks' time on Saturday, the 12th of July. The Kazekage will be present, as well as dignitaries from other lands and villages, so do exhibit your village's prowess. Good luck training, and see you in three week's time. You are dismissed."

The various teams left the tower to return their usual business. Sakura left for home, while Sayuri went to train with Kakashi.

It had been six days since Naruto had went home, and he was eager to take a hot bath. Kurama remarked, "Kit, why not head to the Konoha Hot Springs?" The blond nodded mentally. "That's a good idea. Thanks, Kurama-san."

The fox grunted, refusing to vocalise a reply. Was he actually getting warm and cuddly with his jinchuuriki for the first time in shinobi history? Asura smiled and patted the giant fox on his paw gently. The Otsutsuki laughed as the Kyuubi glared at him.  
Konoha Hot Springs

Naruto strode towards the traditional bathhouse, before noting something odd. There was a male chakra signature near a whole lot of females. This wasn't a mixed bath.

The blond's eyebrows twitched as he noticed a man perched on a tall tree growing next to the female side of the onsen.

He was a middle-aged man, looking around 50 years of age. He had long and spiky white hair, and donned a short green kimono shirt and pants with a red haori over it. The most distinct features were the red lines running down his eyes, his headband with the kanji for "Oil" as well as the huge scroll on his back.

In his hand was a small binoculars which was clearly aimed at the unsuspecting girls below. "Kono hentai…" Naruto swore under his breath. Based on his sensory prowess, however, he could tell that this man was powerful, perhaps on the level of Kakashi-sensei or beyond.

As such, he snuck up the tree as steathily as possible. Surprisingly, he actually made it behind the man without being noticed, probably because the man was engrossed with his voyeurism. With a kick to the ass, Naruto launched the man sailing straight through the roof of the bathhouse, resulting in said man crashing into the onsen where the ladies were bathing.

Deafening screams ensued before sounds of severe beatings were heard as feminine justice was exacted. The blond smirked when the bruised man walked towards him, scowling.

"That'll teach you to spy on women, pervert," said Naruto. The man raised an eyebrow before replying, "I'm not a pervert."

Then he jumped, clapping his geta (wooden sandals) together and landed in a dramatic kabuki pose. "I'm a super pervert without equal!" the man proclaimed with glee, "I am Jiraiya of the Sannin, Gama Sennin of Konoha!"

Naruto resisted the urge to facepalm. "This is Jiraiya…?" he thought. "Well at least that explains his chakra."

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes at the blond, muttering, "You look familiar…" Suddenly, his eyes went comically wide as he recognised the origin of the resemblance. "Are you Uzumaki Naruto?"

Naruto nodded, curious as to how the Toad Sage knew. Jiraiya continued, "Sarutobi-sensei has told me much about you, and he told me when I came back yesterday to train you personally for the Chunin Exam Finals."

"So quickly? But I just ended the preliminaries, how would Hokage-jiji know that I would pass? Wait... unless, he already had faith that I would pass?" Naruto thought. The blond then smiled. Despite him not wanting to be under the tutelage of such a pervert, he decided to do so since the Sandaime had wished for it.

"Alright then, let's begin. But do you know anything about my current abilities?" Jiraiya shook his head, replying, "Sarutobi-sensei said that you would tell me yourself and that it would be very interesting."

Given that the Hokage trusted this man, Naruto chose to do so as well. They went to a secluded training ground where he explained all his abilities, from the Six Paths down to his kenjutsu.

"Hmm… that's a very interesting skill set. First, I would like you to sign the Toad Summoning Contract. As the name suggests, doing so will allow you to summon the legendary toads of Myobokuzan (Mount Myoboku) to aid you in combat, and you will also learn to become a proper sage by mastering the manipulation of natural energy. Given your current situation with the Six Paths Sage Mode, you have not fully explored the potential of senjutsu yet so that's what we'll be doing for the first week."

"In the second week, we'll be working on expanding your ninjutsu arsenal and on the third week, taijutsu will be the focus. All of your training will be completed on Myobokuzan, where time passes more quickly; a week here is a month there. Any questions?"

Naruto shook his head, but noted that he would miss his teammates and for some reason, especially so for Sayuri. Perhaps because the time to the Finals was drawing near and once she got promoted to a chunin… he tried to ignore the thought and instead paid attention to what Jiraiya was doing.

The Toad Sage swiped his thumb across his canine, drawing blood. He then flashed through a series of hand seals before slamming his right hand down onto the grass.

As he proclaimed "Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Jutsu)", an array of jutsu-shiki spread out from the point of impact. Summoning smoke filled the area as a giant orange toad emerged.

"Gama, may I have the contract please," Jiraiya requested. The toad opened its mouth, withdrawing a scroll with its tongue and laying it down on the floor.

Ignoring the fact that the scroll came from the toad's mouth, the Toad Sage rolled it open to reveal vertical columns to write names in, of which only five were filled so far. Naruto was awed when he saw the Yondaime's name on the latest column.

His idol was a toad summoner? Heck yeah! The blond was excited and asked, "So what do I do?" Jiraiya smirked in amusement and responded, "Draw some blood and write your name with it, then imprint all your fingerprints on the hand you would like to use the summoning technique with."

Naruto did as told, though he had trouble drawing blood as the wound he made always closed quickly. He could foresee having to bite off a phalanx to draw sufficient blood before it grew back.

"Now, the size of your summon depends on how much chakra you put into the jutsu. Go ahead and try, the hand seals are Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram," Jiraiya urged.

Naruto decided to start small and drew on a small drop of his humongous reserves. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" A small puff of smoke went into the air, revealing a young orange toad with purple markings around his eyes, mouth and stomach.

"Hey!" the toad spoke, looking around to see who summoned him. "You must be our new summoner. I'm Gamakichi, son of Gamabunta the boss summon."

The blond Uzumaki smiled brightly at Gamakichi and said, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, nice to meet you! Sorry for disturbing you, I only summoned you to test out the jutsu. Here's a treat!"

Naruto grabbed a sweet from his pocket and handed it to Gamakichi, who popped it in his mouth. "I'm starting to like you already, Naruto-san. I'd like to be your personal summon. What do you think?"

The Uzumaki agreed. "Sure, just no formalities please." "Then the same, Naruto-kun, you can call me Kichi. See you!" The toad disappeared in a plume of smoke.

The corners of Gama's mouth curled upwards at witnessing the new summoner's warmth and kindness towards his summons. Seeing his job done, he took back the scroll and dispelled as well.

"Naruto, you'll need a lot more chakra to summon the chief toad. Try again," Jiraiya stated.

Naruto nodded and channelled an amount of chakra 100 times the previous attempt's. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" the Uzumaki yelled, invoking a large haze of chakra-laced smoke to billow.

When it cleared, a giant toad even bigger than Gama materialised. He was the colour of rust with bright red markings around his eyes, on his lips and on his chest. There was a scar over his left eye, and he also donned a blue happi vest. He carried massive dosu blade at his hip and a large kiseru pipe in his mouth which emitted smoke.

"The chakra that summoned me wasn't Jiraiya's…" the toad remarked. Jiraiya replied hastily, "Bunta, the newest summoner, Uzumaki Naruto was the one who summoned you."

Gamabunta turned to face the blond in question. Naruto gave a smile in response. "It's an honour to meet you, Gamabunta-sama," the Uzumaki greeted respectfully.

The chief toad took a puff from his pipe as he observed the boy carefully. "Hmm… Uzumaki, huh? I've not heard that in quite a while." Jiraiya knew what was on the boss summon's mind, and silently signalled him to keep it a secret.

Gamabunta complied and said, "Naruto, in order for me to approve you as our new summoner, you must stay on my back for the next two hours."

Two seconds later, the chief toad found the Uzumaki on his back. "As fast as his father," thought the boss summon as he started to leap around the training ground in an attempt to throw the Toads' latest summoner off his back.

Two Hours Later

Gamabunta panted hard, doing his last leap before deciding to halt. A triumphant Naruto stood on his back. "Fine. I accept you as our new summoner. Do not summon me unless you have a battle to fight or sake to drink."

Naruto jumped off the chief toad's back and responded, "As you wish, Gamabunta-sama." "You can cut the formalities. I'll be off now."

Jiraiya started, "Actually…" he explained his idea of Naruto's training plan to Bunta, who agreed. "I'll dispel back to Myobokuzan and use the Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Reverse Summoning Jutsu) to bring y'all there. See you."

Minutes later, the two toad summoners were brought to the mystical sage region. Naruto was introduced to the Nidaisengama (Two Great Sage Toads), Shima and her husband Fukasaku.

The blond also met the Ogama Sennin (Great Toad Sage) Gamamaru, the oldest and most respected toad of all the inhabitants of Mount Myoboku. "Yogen no Ko (Child of the Prophecy)..." Gamamaru greeted. Jiraiya flinched.

"Gamamaru-sama, are you sure he's the one?" "I can feel it… one of the children is here."

Naruto looked at Jiraiya for an explanation. "The Great Prophecy states that two children with immense power will hold the fate of the whole world in their hands, becoming either its saviour or its destroyer. One of them is destined to be a student of mine."

"Asura-kun..." the ancient toad sage croaked. "Are you there?" Naruto suddenly felt an odd surge in his body, like something was possessing it. His movements were not his own; neither was it his voice when he spoke.

"Hai, Ogama Sennin-sama. Naruto-kun is my transmigrant." The toad sage nodded slowly and took a long pause before saying to Jiraiya, "Proceed with training as soon as possible... I'm sure that he's one of them, the saviour… I'm more afraid of… the other one..."

The great toad sage spoke "the other one" like a curse word, making Naruto shudder as he could infer who he was talking about. "Indra," Naruto guessed, finding his voice return to him.

"Indeed," the great toad sage responded before falling silent. Naruto kept quiet as well, not wishing to elaborate to Jiraiya who Indra's transmigrant was.

Jiraiya frowned before carrying on. "Alright then, we shall start as there's no time to waste." Gamamaru spoke once more, "One last thing… Shima-chan and Fukasaku-kun, give Naruto the Rikudō Sennin's Chiseigan (Bloodoath)."

The two great sage toads hesitated, before deciding to comply with the ultimate authority's order. They brought Naruto to the Sacred Oil Fountain, where a waterfall of oil gushed into a pool surrounded by hundreds of toad and human stone statues.

Jiraiya explained, "Every one of these statues was once a living thing. They died learning senjutsu as they were unable to control the influx of natural energy, which lead to petrification."

Fukasaku and Shima weaved hand seals, activating a jutsu which caused the waterfall to split. This revealed a cave behind it lit by torches.

The four entered the cave, the centrepiece of which was a sword laid on a stone. "This," Fukasaku said, "Is the Chiseigan. A relic from the Sage Of Six Paths, forged by him as a gift for Myobokuzan. He said to Gamamaru-sama that one day, a person born of his blood would be worthy to wield her and save the world."

Naruto couldn't help but feel a sense of attraction to the holy blade. Despite the darkness of the cave, she emitted a glow of her own.

"This sword is imbued with the souls of every toad or human that has died trying to learn senjutsu - yes, those outside the cave. Before beginning their training, they swore a blood oath to give their souls to the Chiseigan upon their death, so that at least their deaths would be meaningful, hence the name Bloodoath," Shima continued.

"There are four conditions guarding the usage of the Chiseigan. Firstly, she can only be wielded by one of noble blood; that is, a descendant of Otsutsuki Hagoromo. Secondly, the blade must not be exposed to the light of day, the reason being she is meant to be used when the world plunges into darkness from the Mugen Tsukuyomi (Infinite Tsukuyomi). Thirdly, the Chiseigan cannot be drawn in the presence and knowledge of girls, who by definition are human females below the age of 18. So technically if they are unconcious then it doesn't count. Lastly, once the blade is drawn, she will not return to her sheath until she tastes blood," Fukasaku explained.

Shima warned, "To break any of these conditions is to break the blood oath sworn by all souls within the blade, causing the Chiseigan to dissolve and consume her user, which is pretty bad since she and her master will be instrumental in the fight against Otsutsuki Kaguya, the mother of the Rikudō Sennin."

Naruto queried, "What is the Mugen Tsukuyomi? And why will we fight the Rikudō Sennin's mother?"

Jiraiya sighed and elaborated, "It has been prophesied that the return of Kaguya will be the literal end of the world. Legend has it that Kaguya was influenced by the Shinju, the first being to possess chakra in its fruits. She consumed its fruits and single-handedly brought an end to all wars on earth through the Mugen Tsukuyomi, a powerful genjutsu which ensnared every single human being and put them into a dream-like state made of their hopes and ambitions. Eventually, they turned into lifeless, white creatures with green hair known as White Zetsus which obeyed the caster's will. To keep humanity alive, she released some of them from the genjutsu and wiped their memories."

"However, she soon became power hungry and consumed more and more of these chakra fruits which corrupted her greatly. She bore twin sons, Hagoromo and Hamura, the latter of which gave rise to the Hyuga clan. It soon became clear that it was necessary to stop her. The twins joined forces and fought against their mother, who had merged with the Shinju to form the Jubi. Together, they sealed their mother with Rikudo: Chibaku Tensei (Six Paths: Planetary Devastation) - a powerful fuinjutsu which encased her within what is known today as the moon. The Sage Of Six Paths then extracted the chakra of the Jubi and split it into today's nine tailed beasts. The empty husk known as the Gedo Mazo was sent into another dimension, only accessible to users of the Rinnegan. However, prophecy dictates that Kaguya will return one day to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi again, and the only people who can stop her are the aforementioned children of the prophecy. Do you see now why the Chiseigan is important?"

Naruto nodded. "But all these conditions and the consequences seem pretty serious and it doesn't seem worth the risk to draw the blade. There must be a huge advantage to make it worth drawing, right?"

Fukasaku nodded. "You're correct. Firstly, the Chiseigan is the sharpest sword in the human realm, fashioned out of the kekkei mora of the Rikudo Sennin. She is said to be so sharp that a single strand of hair falling on to her edge would be cleft in twain. Secondly, she acts as a storage of chakra and is attuned to the user's chakra, which flows into her naturally. Lastly, any wound made by the Chiseigan will siphon chakra from the victim into her blade. The wound will not close either, and will continue to bleed even if you try to use your Yang Power on it. You'll come to realise that any attack augmented with the power of the Six Paths cannot be healed by your Yang Power alone."

Asura spoke, "He's right. There are some things that my Yang Power cannot heal."

"However," said Shima suddenly, "That is why the Chiseigan comes with the Chiseigan Stone, which is at the tip of the sheath. The Chiseigan Stone has two properties: it acts as a whetstone, allowing the sword to be sharpened again and again, and touching it to any wound made by the blade will close it and stop the damage. You can then use your Yang Power to fully heal someone."

Naruto stepped forward, right before the sword. "Can I test it out now?" Shima nodded. The blond reached for the blade, his fist closing around the ornate hilt. As he did so, the Chiseigan Stone glowed and sent surges of power through the Uzumaki.

Fukasaku announced solemnly, "The blade has found a master." In his hand, the blade felt physically light but spiritually heavy as he was aware of the many fallen spirits who have given their lives to empower the Chiseigan.

He looked around, and realised she was placed in a cave lit only by torches so as to allow her to be drawn within. His left hand closed around the sheath.

With a firm pull, Naruto freed the sword from her scabbard. A loud ringing sound ensued and a huge wave of chakra radiated out, shaking the earth and causing the wind to roar wildly.

The blond Uzumaki admired the double-edged blade, a true work of art. It was pitch black like his Gudo Dama except for the jutsu-shiki running along her central ridge, which glowed faintly in every shade of orange from amber to cadmium.

It then occurred to him that he was the first to draw the sword after she had been gifted to Myobokuzan, meaning he was the first to see how she looked. "Time to see if the saying about her sharpness is true."

He brought the Chiseigan a milimetre away from his finger. The other three watched with baited breath as Naruto closed the gap. The moment his finger came in contact with the blade, the razor edge created an incision with supernatural sharpness, tearing through his skin easily and rupturing numerous capillaries.

Intense pain spiked through his body like never before, as if he had been thrown into a pool of boiling acid. Naruto stifled a scream. Fortunately, he had a high threshold for pain or he might have cried out in agony in front of the sages present.

Blood oozed out of the burst vessels, and as expected, steam rose from the wound as cells regenerated due to his rapid healing factor. However, the tear of the wound widened insidiously, spreading faster than the cells could regenerate.

"So it's true…" Jiraiya remarked as he observed the refusal of the wound to close. Naruto grabbed the sheath and tapped his wound with the stone at its tip. Instantly, it stopped bleeding and within seconds, his healing factor restored his finger to its original state.

Fukasaku was in awe. "That's the fastest healing factor I've seen. I can't wait to train you, Naruto-chan."

Naruto sheathed the holy blade and bowed to the elders. "Thank you for this honour, Sennin Jichan." He smiled.

Fukasaku began the instruction on senjutsu. "Sages are people who can manipulate natural energy, which is energy in the environment. Mixing natural energy with normal chakra gives rise to sage chakra, which is much more potent and powerful. Reaching a heightened state where the physical, mental and natural energies in the body are in balance is termed as sage mode, where all of your reflexes are enhanced, as well as your strength, speed and stamina. Your ability to wield natural energy as a weapon will serve you in combat, and being able to detect natural energy will greatly enhance your sensory skills by expanding your range by at least a kilometre. Too much natural energy in one's body will cause petrification, but Asura-san has already gifted you with the body of a sage as part of your inheritance so that will not be a problem. Once you master how to balance the three energies perfectly, you will then be able to properly utilise the Six Paths Sage Mode to its full potential. Shall we begin?"

Three Months Later, Local Time

Naruto flowed through the Kawazu Kumite (Frog Kata) smoothly, practising its various stances and forms. Shima clapped in approval. "Wonderful, Naruto-chan! You've mastered the art quickly."

"Thank you, Sennin Baachan, but I am far from mastering it," Naruto responded. Fukasaku chuckled. "Humble as always… don't discredit yourself, though. You've truly reached the level of Jiraiya in the Kawazu Kumite with unprecedented speed."

The Frog Kata was a taijutsu style of the toads but it was mostly effective only in sage mode, so Naruto had decided to incorporate it into Asura's style. As for his ninjutsu, he had learnt many from Jiraiya and the toads of Myobokuzan, including many elemental, sage and collaboration techniques.

He had to admit, he had never felt so alive. Though it might sound clichè, he felt one with nature… literally. The natural energy had some kind of rejuvenating property which energised him again and again, tiding him through his gruelling training for the past three months.

Naruto chuckled as he prepared to bid farewell to Myobokuzan. After a month of harsh training and food definitely not meant for humans, he was eager to go home, eat some ramen and see his friends. He frowned as an image of Sayuri appeared in his head. What was wrong with him? He shook the thought out of his head.

Mindscape

Kurama sighed internally. "Oh boy…" Asura laughed and commented, "Kurama-kun, this may be fate… it may be predestined, that they will unite to fight against my grandmother." The titanic fox grumbled. "That doesn't mean I have to like it." "C'mon, at least Sayuri is not as bad as Madara." The Kyuubi shook his head. "I know she loves him… but I have a really bad feeling."

Asura sighed and announced worriedly, "So do I."

Reality

The blond decided that he needed new clothes. Thankfully, he had not worn the Daimyo's present but had gotten the Sandaime's birthday gift from years back worn and torn.

Due to the sentimental value it had, he decided to send it to a tailor for repair (in a henge of course), while he wore what the Fire Daimyo had bestowed upon him for his upcoming battle. Within his cloak, a new sword was concealed along with the Elucidator.

Naruto smiled brightly as he left his house on the morning of the exams, ready to thrash his Hyuga opponent like he promised.

With Sayuri

The past three weeks with Kakashi had been spent improving her taijutsu and honing her Mangekyo's ocular prowess, as Kakashi had one in his posession and could perform Kamui.

That coupled with her Rinnegan, she felt ready to face Suna's jinchuuriki. She had gained confidence in using her new abilities, and they would act as aces up her sleeves should she require them.

Presently, she sat up in bed and pushed back her blankets. Her thoughts immediately fleeted to a certain blond whom she had not seen for three weeks. She shook her head, sighing. How would she bear three years if she couldn't even bear three weeks?

The Uchiha got out of bed, distracting herself with the routine of dressing up. It was a warm Saturday morning on the 12th of July; and she definitely could not afford to be late for the Finals. She had already seen the dignitaries arriving in the village yesterday evening, staying for the night as the Finals were early in the morning.

It was 8, an hour to the Finals. At the end of the day, she might or might not be a chunin and at this point, she did not know which was better. The looming threat of the CRA was very real and Naruto had yet to find a loophole. It looked like she would have to enact her plan; besides, she still had a brother to kill.

Sayuri opened a drawer with her right hand and deftly picked up a beatiful red-and-black kumihimo cord. Grabbing her hair with her left hand, she deftly lashed the cord around and over it before tying an elaborate knot, forming a ponytail.

The Uchiha strode towards the door and picked up her chokuto from its mount in the bedroom, trailing it by her side. After leaving the house, she had a light breakfast before heading off to the stadium.

Contrary to the light-hearted mood Naruto and Sayuri possessed at this moment, the leader of Sunagakure was on the other side of Konoha, chuckling to himself for a different reason altogether.

Beneath his Kage hat was a veil which hid a sinister smile. "Sarutobi-sensei, I hope you like what I've prepared for you." Konohagakure would not know what hit them.

Author's Notes:  
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! As some of you may have realised, the Chiseigan was inspired by the Skofnung Sword, a famous Viking sword wielded by the legendary Danish king Hrólf Kraki, though obviously I made some changes to suit the plot. The next chapter may not come out so soon as I have one very important upcoming international examination two weeks from now :( Please bear with me, the plot will certainly get a lot more exciting from here on. Do rate and review!

Until tomorrow,  
Ja Ne


	12. Chūnin Exam Finals

Asura's Transmigrant

Chapter 12: Chūnin Exam Finals

Previously:

Konohagakure would not know what hit them.

Konoha Stadium

Many villagers, civilians and shinobi alike were gathered at the stands to spectate the exciting final stage of the Chūnin Exams.

The remaining eight competitors stood at their assigned positions in the viewing platform, mentally preparing themselves for their upcoming battles.

Above the spectator stands was a box for the Kages and the Daimyos to view the match from a higher vantage point. "Today's matches will be interesting… don't you think, Hokage-dono?"

The leader of Konoha nodded. "Indeed. I heard that the three Suna participants are your children. Let's see how well they do."

The Kazekage gave a low laugh.

Down below where the competitors were standing, Naruto was catching up with Sayuri about their training progress. The Uchiha was impressed by his sage techniques, while the blond couldn't help but admire her dōjutsu which had clearly advanced much in the past three weeks with the help of Kakashi.

The crowd quietened when the proctor - another tokubetsu jōnin - started speaking. "Good morning, Hokage-sama, Kazekage-sama, Daimyo-sama, distinguished guests, contestants and fellow villagers. I am Shiranui Genma, the proctor of the Chūnin Exam Finals. Due to certain… issues, the original proctor, Gekko Hayate was unable to make it today. I will be refereeing the seven matches today."

Genma turned to the eight participants. "The rules are quite simple. When I say start-" Naruto tuned him out at this point as Genma was repeating what Hayate had said before.

"-whether you win or lose, you may or may not be promoted. It all depends on your performance during the match. Any questions?" The tokubetsu jōnin looked around at the contestants as he chewed on his senbon. "None? Then without further ado, let us begin with the first match as scheduled. Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure versus Hyūga Neji of Konohagkure!"

Since the two shinobi knew that they would be fighting, they were already down in the arena, a huge circular field of grass surrounded by high concrete walls.

Genma eyed the two carefully. Neji was sizing up his opponent, who did not seem too different from before except that he appeared to be slightly more built. Naruto watched the Hyūga's movements just as closely.

The Uzumaki knew that he was up against a taijutsu expert. Using ninjutsu would certainly cement the match result, but where was the fun in that? He had promised to beat the Hyūga, and what could be better than doing so in his own forte?

Naruto wasn't just aiming to win this match; he was aiming to crush the Hyūga, and wake him up from his arrogance and fatalist philosophy. In short, to pull the long stick out of his ass.

Neji smirked and said, "I can't wait to see the discouraged look in your eyes when you realise, you cannot win because Fate has already declared me the winner!"

Naruto barely concealed a laugh. "I believe the proctor said his name was Shiranui Genma, not Fate. Now, will we fight or are we just gonna stand around and talk all day?"

To engage a Hyūga in taijutsu would be suicide unless he had the right countermeasures prepared. And he did. Naruto closed his eyes, where orange pigmentation began to form.

Neji narrowed his opalescent eyes at this onset. He closed his eyes as well, the veins surrounding them beginning to bulge.

Stands

Kakashi took notice of the orange markings around Naruto's eyes and pulled up his headband to take a closer look. His eyes widened. It couldn't be… Naruto had mastered senjutsu?

Sayuri was excited to see the extent of his new power. What was sage mode like?

Arena

Genma knew from a single look that this fight would be intense. He prepared to jump back as he announced, "Now then, the first match…"

"Hajime!"

White eyes snapped open to meet the fierce gaze of yellow, toad-like irides. Both slipped into their respective taijutsu styles' stance. Naruto raised his left hand, beckoning and taunting the Hyūga in a come-hither gesture.

"Koi."

Neji took off towards Naruto and started with a right hook which the blond blocked. The Hyūga followed up with a series of shots which Naruto either stopped or dodged.

Neji went for a low kick that Naruto avoided by jumping back. The Hyūga then made use of the momentum by launching his other foot at the blond in a high kick.

Naruto, however, jumped up and just narrowly slipped by Neji's foot. He landed after a backflip and lunged at the Hyūga while forming a hand seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

Two shadow clones burst into existence next to him, joining the original in his sprint. They went ahead of him and tossed themselves at Neji.

The taijutsu expert intercepted the attacks one by one, knocking the first aside while planting a foot into the second one which came flying. Both dispersed into smoke.

The original waved his hand across the Hyūga's face before throwing a punch in a bid to execute a blindspot attack, but as he had already guessed, that was pointless against the Byakugan as it could see through his hand.

Neji smirked and swerved his head to the side, evading the fist. Or so he thought. The next second, he was flat on the floor, his right cheek in intense agony from an invisible assault. Was his cheekbone broken?

This shocked the whole crowd of spectators as Neji had clearly dodged the punch.

The Hyūga glared at Naruto as he recovered quickly and got on his feet. "What was that?" the Hyūga tried to say, but it came out more garbled because the right side of his mouth felt like it was on fire.

Naruto didn't answer and instead, continued a barrage of attacks on Neji. This time, the Hyūga was way more wary, and when he could, he would put distance between himself and Naruto. As a Hyūga, this made him uncomfortable as he was used to fighting in close range.

Suddenly, the Hyūga noticed the orange markings fading away from Naruto's face. With a confident smirk, he declared, "Looks like your power has worn off, Naruto. What will you do now?" This time, his words came out properly as the pain had subsided.

"I'll still beat you." The Uzumaki formed the shadow clone hand seal. Five clones appeared and rushed at the Hyūga.

Neji was no longer wary of getting into close quarters with his opponent, and so he dished out his usual Jūken kata and obliterated the clones.

At one point, all the clones jumped at Neji. A wall of chakra formed around the Hyūga like a shield, before he spun around. "Hakkeshō Kaiten (Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven)!"The shield of chakra rotated and expanded rapidly, throwing the clones off and dispelling them with great force.

Stands

Hyūga Hiashi, head of the Hyūga clan, was impressed but had a frown on his face. The Kaiten was supposed to be a Main House technique only passed down through orally, how did a Branch House member like Neji learn it? He was truly a genius.

Arena, Earlier

While Neji was distracted with the clones, the original weaved the hand signs for the summoning jutsu.

Myobokuzan

Five clones sat in a meditative position around the Sacred Oil Fountain, amassing senjutsu chakra with the abundance of natural energy present in the area. One of them dispersed into smoke as it felt its summoner's call beckoning it through space-time.

Arena

Naruto dispelled the shadow clone and felt natural energy return to his body.

Neji had just thrown off the clones and was charging at Naruto with a kunai, noticing how his eyes were closed.

To his great shock, the Uzumaki executed an open palm thrust with his eyes still closed, shattering the kunai into shards of metal. Neji scowled in annoyance when he noticed the orange pigmentation around Naruto's eyes, realising that somehow, his power had returned to him.

Naruto closed the distance between him and the Hyūga, executing a swift punch. Neji narrowly deflected it and pushed his hand away.

The Uzumaki made use of the momentum and spun clockwise in a tornado kick. Neji's eyes widened as he realised what was about to happen and quickly brought up his hands to his side.

Unfortunately, that did not do much to soften the impact of Naruto's kick. Upon contact, Naruto's senjutsu-enhanced foot propelled the Hyūga backwards, sending him rocketing straight into the arena wall 30 metres away.

Take Neji's word for it: tumbling across the floor before smashing into hard concrete was not fun at all. With a groan, he pulled himself out of the mini crater he had made in the wall.

"I have to end this quickly," the Hyūga thought as he sprinted towards Naruto. Once again, they engaged and this time, Neji was prepared.

He weaved in and out of Naruto's range, and the moment he saw an opening, he went for it without hesitation. "Jūkenhō Ichigekishin (Gentle Fist Art: Body Blow)!" Neji exclaimed, as he delivered a two-handed strike with a blast of chakra.

Naruto was momentarily stunned as he was hit by the powerful burst of chakra. He was launched two metres back from the impact, crashing onto the grass. Thankfully, his Sage Mode had increased his threshold for pain more than before, so it was not that bad.

Neji smirked as he entered a new stance. "You are within range, and you cannot escape my Eight Trigrams."

Stands

Hiashi was taken aback. To think a member of the Branch House had learnt this taijutsu move?

Arena

As Naruto recovered, Neji took no chance and lunged at him. With great ferocity, the Hyūga struck the Uzumaki with double two-fingered thrusts. "Hakke Nishō (Eight Trigrams Two Palms)!"

"Yonshō (Four Palms)!" Neji called as he struck once again, sending his chakra through Naruto's body with precision to shut down his tenketsu.

"Hashō (Eight Palms)! Juroku Shō (Sixteen Palms)! Sanjūni Shō (Thirty-Two Palms)!" The Hyūga shouted as he repeatedly slammed his fingers into Naruto with increasing speed.

"Hakke Rokujūyon Shō (Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms)!" Neji exclaimed as he sent the last thirty-two consecutive bursts of chakra into the Uzumaki's body with a strong step forward, shutting down 64 of his 361 tenketsu.

Naruto flew back and landed on the floor, his chest in incredible pain. His breathing became shallow as the chakra flow in his body stopped.

The blond tried to get up, but found that his body was failing him. Neji declared with a smirk as he turned off his Byakugan, "Why do you try so hard? I told you already, a failure will always be a failure! Look at your pathetic state, trying to worm yourself out of the destiny that has been set for you."

Naruto's brows furrowed in anger. "Weren't you the same, by trying to kill Hinata? Isn't your destiny as a Branch House member to serve the Main House? Why are you killing your masters? Are you not going against your own 'Fate', Neji?"

The Hyūga growled. "You do not understand. I will never be free of the Fate which binds me." He then took off his headband, revealing a curse seal. "This is the Kago no Tori no Juin (Caged Bird Seal), a juinjutsu (cursed seal) branded on the Branch House of the Hyuga clan by the Main House. Any time a Branch House member does anything to defy the Main House, we are at their mercy for a simple hand sign will destroy our brain cells and seal our Byakugan at death. It will never be erased, not until death consumes us."

"Many years ago during the Hyuga Affair, Kumogakure (Village Hidden In The Clouds)'s Head Ninja kidnapped Hinata-sama on her third birthday. We managed to kill him and retrieve her, however, Kumo demanded Hiashi-sama's body as a compensation for the death of their Head Ninja." At this, Neji turned to the Hyūga clan head.

"Hiashi-sama's twin brother, Hyūga Hizashi and my father, was sent in his place. He was killed by his own twin brother with the Caged Bird Seal," said Neji bitterly. "This act averted war, and Kumo did not get the Byakugan either. However, I lost a father. Do you see why now? The Branch House will always die to protect the Main House. There is no exception."

Stands

Hiashi winced. So he was the reason his nephew was this way… perhaps, it was time to show him the letter Hizashi had left for him.

Arena

Naruto frowned as he fought the soreness in his body. "And yet, here you are today, having progressed so far into the Chūnin Exams and even defeated the Hyūga heiress, whose 'Fate' is supposed to be always being superior to you. Isn't it ironic? The thing is, hard work will always defeat a genius. Genius often results in arrogance and complacency, while hard work is the sure path to continuous self-improvement and victory over those with natural-born talent."

Neji noticed Naruto slowly getting up and narrowed his eyes. "Why do you still insist on resisting your Fate? Can't you see it plainly? You'll never defeat me as Fate had already decided long ago that I would win this match."

"Because…" said Naruto as he stood up fully, regaining his balance, "You called me a failure. If that's what it takes, I'll defeat you and show you that Fate is irrelevant to the final outcome!"

The Hyūga was taken aback. How was Naruto still standing after that attack? A person who fell under the Sixty-Four Palms would usually be unable to get up for at least a month, and that was provided the assailant had missed vital organs that would have caused death otherwise!

Naruto brought his hands together in the Ram hand seal, eliciting a smirk from Neji. "Go ahead and try. You'll see that it's pointless."

All of a sudden, the air in the arena became thicker and denser. It became much harder to breathe; this was surely the precursor to something bad.

Without warning, orange chakra flooded throughout Naruto's system, forcefully reopening his closed tenketsu. The sheer power of the release of chakra caused the ground beneath the Uzumaki to shake and crumble.

Fierce winds broke out and tore the blades of grass nearby asunder, the remnants of which circled the blond in a storm of plant parts. The few trees in the arena had cracks forming along their barks from the pressure of the potent chakra presence.

Adorned on Neji's face was a look of pure horror as he reactivated his Byakugan. It should have been impossible to force open the tenketsu after it had been closed without another Hyūga's intervention! Was that orange thing even chakra?

The winds surged through the stands relentlessly, ruffling the spectators' hairstyles and blowing loose items away.

Sayuri smiled as her hair fluttered, recalling the time when Naruto first tested for his chakra nature affinity. So this was the chakra of Asura that Indra had spoken about.

Kage Box

"Such power… this must be the Kyuubi's chakra," thought the disguised Snake Sannin, "Wait, no… there isn't a demonic feel to it all. This is the fabled chakra of the Uzumaki clan."

The Hokage was impressed. "Is this the chakra of Ōtsutsuki Asura? It is overpowering… reminiscent of Hashirama-sama," Hiruzen thought.

Arena

Just as suddenly as it came, the winds died down. The orange chakra receded back into his body, and to any ordinary bystander it would have appeared as if it had disappeared completely.

The Hyūga, however, knew better. His Byakugan clearly saw the orange chakra concentrated within his body, almost bursting but not quite so. Naruto's eyes were different from before; a single slit ran across the horizontal bar in his irides.

Now, the Uzumaki exuded an aura of confidence and self-assuredness. That was a look Neji recognised and did not wish to see on his opponent at this time.

On the surface, he appeared calm and focused. But make no mistake - within, like his namesake, was a maelstrom of energy waiting to be released.

"Ikuzo," Naruto uttered. Just like that, he disappeared in a flash of speed. Neji was stunned. One did not simply just disappear like that!

The Uzumaki appeared behind the Hyūga in mid-air, several projectiles in hand. In rapid succession, he fired them off at Neji.

The taijutsu expert quickly dug his feet into the floor and initiated a rotation. "Kaiten!" They bounced off harmlessly the chakra shield, after which Neji grabbed one of them out of the air.

"Take this!" he exclaimed, launching them with high speed at the airborne Uzumaki. Shock and fear shook the Hyūga as Naruto evaded the attacks with ridiculous swiftness once again, leaving the kunais and shurikens to penetrate the arena walls.

"Impossible!" the Hyūga thought as the blond rocketed at him with blinding speeds, ramming a fist full of chakra into his face. The pain told him it was possible. It ploughed into his face without remorse, catapulting him into another section of the arena wall with extreme prejudice.

This time, the front part of the wall exploded from the impact. The concrete slowed down the Hyūga's momentum by a lot, but his inertia continued forcing him down the path through the wall.

Just as he was about to break through the other side of the wall, Neji came to a stop. Many, many, many bones were broken. Right now, he was in so much pain he could not even begin to describe it.

His face probably needed restructuring after this. Naruto strode towards the Hyūga and pulled his body out of the wreckage formed by the bottom of the wall.

He passed his hands over Neji's face, sending yōton chakra into his body. The Uzumaki mended most of the broken bones, rectifying the immediate damage. Naruto sighed as he healed the Hyūga. That pompous ass deserved every single broken bone and torn ligament.

As he did so, the Uzumaki stared into Neji's Byakugan, which saw so much and yet so little. "'A failure will always be a failure'," Naruto repeated mockingly with a purposefully poor imitation of Neji's voice. "Do you see the truth now, Neji? You can always resist Fate. If you don't like your circumstances, there is always something you can do to change it. Your Fate is what you want it to be; don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Then, he stood up. Genma raised his hand in Naruto's direction. "Shosha: Uzumaki Naruto!" Surprisingly, the crowd cheered loudly for him. They must've been sick of Neji's Fate bullshit as well.

Kage Box

"So, all in favour of Uzumaki Naruto's promotion to chūnin?" the Hokage prompted. The Kazekage and the two Daimyos raised their hands, as did Konoha's leader himself. "Alright," said the Hokage as he input the result into the system.

"All in favour of Hyūga Neji's promotion to chūnin?" Only the Wind Daimyo raised his hand. Despite Neji's natural prowess in taijutsu as a Hyūga, his attitude was troublesome for a chūnin undertaking missions and for teamwork as well.

Stands

Naruto returned to Sayuri's side. The Uchiha gave him a look of approval. "Good job. Your senjutsu was very interesting, to say the least," Sayuri remarked as she looked pointedly at the damaged concrete walls.

The Uzumaki blushed in embarassment. "Oops… I tried to hold back as much as I could. I still had a lot of ninjutsu in my arsenal, but I didn't want the whole world to know the full extent of my power and also, I wanted to beat him with taijutsu only."

Sayuri nodded in understanding.

Down below, the proctor announced, "The second match: Aburame Shino versus Sabaku no Kankurō!"

The Suna-nin - who was standing nearby in the stands - yelled down, "I forfeit!" The crowd jeered, but Kankurō knew he needed to conserve his energy for what was to come.

Genma blinked, before continuing, "The winner by forfeit is Aburame Shino."

Kage Box

"Hokage-dono, I suppose none are getting promoted?" the Kazekage questioned. The aged Hokage replied, "Indeed. I'm surprised your son didn't participate though. I was looking forward to witnessing the craft of a kugutsutsukai from Sungakure, given the fame and origin of the art."

Hiruzen had a tone of suspicion in his voice. The Kazekage responded with, "My son was always a shy one."

Now, the Hokage was sure the man next to him was Orochimaru. The murder of Gekko Hayate had raised his suspicions, and what the "Kazekage" had said was clearly a lie. From what Hiruzen had seen in the preliminaries, Kankurō was clearly not shy about using his power to take down his opponent in a brutal and aggressive fashion. He raised his guard as his gaze returned to the match.

Arena

"The third match: Nara Shikamaru of Konohagakure versus Sabaku no Temari of Sunagakure," Genma called.

Shikamaru held back curses. He was hoping the second match would give him more time to relax, but noooo, it just had to end before it even started. He had half a mind to follow Kankurō but knew that his mum would not hesitate to slay him if he forfeited without even trying.

"Mendokuse…" the Nara groaned as he came face to face with the blond from Suna. He already thought ahead: she was clearly a long-range fighter with that fan of hers.

He was a short-range fighter and wouldn't stand a chance against her if there was distance between them. He would have to rely on the pre-existing shadows on the floor from Naruto's battle. Time was also not on his side as the longer the match dragged on, the closer it became to noon when the shadows were a lot shorter. Hopefully, his new techniques would come in useful.

"Hajime!"

Immediately, Shikamaru's hands flew into the Rat hand seal, initiating the Nara clan's famous technique.

"Kagemane no Jutsu!" His shadow turned jet black and shot towards the Suna kunoichi, who leapt back and distanced herself.

After a good fifteen metres, the shadow stopped chasing her and came to a stop. Temari brought her fan down and carved a line across the floor, demarcating the line between the safe and dangerous zone.

"Looks like this is the limit to your technique. As long as I don't cross this line, you'll never catch me," she declared with a confident smirk.

Kage Box

"My daughter is smart after all, being able to deduce the mechanics of the Nara clan's hiden ninjutsu in such a short time," commented the Kazekage.

The Hokage smiled. "We'll have to see. After all, the other famous thing Naras have is their strategical intelligence. For all we know, this could be part of the Nara's ploy."

Arena

Shikamaru groaned as Temari open her giant metal fan with a flick of her wrist. Grabbing the bottom with both hands, she swung it at the Nara with great force. "Fūton: Kazekiri no Jutsu (Wind Style: Wind Blade Jutsu)!"

A huge gust of wind picked up and rushed towards Shikamaru, forcing him to release the Shadow Possession and take cover behind trees in the arena.

The wind tore up everything in its path, decimating trees into logs and splinters of timber. This soon became a game of cat and mouse; whenever Temari fired off a blast of fūton chakra, Shikamaru would take cover in a new tree.

This happened until every single tree in the vicinity was brought down, littering the whole floor with wood.

"There's no where to hide now, Nara. I got you," Temari said. Suddenly, Shikamaru began to laugh. "No. I-"

"-got you." From behind his back, he tossed a flash bomb up. It exploded and released bright light upon the arena, momentarily blinding the Suna-nin and darkening every shadow in the area formed by all the destroyed wood.

In that instant, Shikamaru's hands danced from the Rat to the Bird hand seal. "Ninpō: Kage Nui no Jutsu!" To Temari's shock, black tendrils materialised from thin air and shot towards her, binding her in an intricate network of shadow chains.

Even after the light died down, they still kept her trapped. Satisfied, Shikamaru waved his hand to one side. A single tendril wrapped around Temari's fan and discarded it further away from her such that it was out of reach.

The tendrils from the Shadow Stitching Technique reverted to that of the standard Shadow Posession, paralysing the blond. Shikamaru relaxed as he contemplated what to do.

He could make her forfeit like what he did to Kin in the preliminaries, but if he did so, he would have to become a chūnin and being a chūnin was a drag. The responsibilities that came with being one was way too troublesome for his liking, and he could technically tell his mum that he tried to fight so she wouldn't kill him.

He made up his mind and looked up at the Temari, who had a look of fear and anticipation for what he was about to do since he could now make her do literally anything.

"I."

"I."

"Nara Shikamaru, forfeit this match," declared the Nara. "Nara Shikamaru, forfeit this match," the Suna kunoichi found herself repeating much to her surprise.

Without even bothering to wait for the announcement, Shikamaru released his Kagemane and walked away.

The proctor was amused. There was really no end to a Nara's laziness. "Winner by forfeit: Sabaku no Temari!"

The crowd was in uproar over the wasted victory. Clearly, many had betted on the Nara to win. A small section of the crowd was bursting in peals of laughter. They were the people who had guessed such an outcome from the scion of the Nara clan.

Kage Box

The Hokage chuckled before regaining his regal demeanour. "Turns out the Nara was a genius after all. All in favour of Nara Shikamaru's promotion to chūnin?"

All four dignitaries present raised their hands. Despite his laziness, it was clear he thought very far ahead during the match.

The first Kagemane was to induce Temari into thinking that it could not go any further, and that she had it all figured out when she didn't. Next, by keeping his distance, he easily tricked her into using her long-range wind techniques and forced her to destroy all the trees in the arena, which seemingly removed his cover but actually provided him the necessary shadows to extend his technique. That, coupled with the flash bomb which served to blind her as well, allowed him to bind her with the Kage Nui and end the match.

"All in favour of Sabaku no Temari's promotion to chūnin?" the Hokage called. The two Kages and the Fire Daimyo raised their hands.

The Suna kunoichi, though she had been outwitted by the Nara, was a rather good analyst and fūton user in her own right.

"Alright," the Hokage affirmed as he approved both their promotions. Their attention returned to the fourth and most highly anticipated match.

Arena

Genma cleared his throat to get the spectators' attention. They fell silent once again. "The fourth match: Uchiha Sayuri versus Sabaku no Gaara!"

The jinchūriki smiled demonically as he made his way down to the floor. In contrast, Sayuri had an air of indifference. Their eyes met in what was an intense moment. Gaara's teal eyes held only bloodlust.

He gave a low laugh. "I'll enjoy spilling your noble blood, Uchiha." Sayuri was not affected at all, unlike the tokubetsu jōnin proctoring the match who was feeling uneasy.

"Hajime!" Genma yelled and jumped away. Without hesitation, Sayuri took off towards the redhead at her usual speed. Gaara waved his hands in a frenzy, causing the sand to burst out of his gourd and fly at the Uchiha.

She weaved in and out of the sand projectiles, skilfully evading them. Sayuri then noticed a clump of sand floating above him and braced for an attack.

"Suna Shigure (Sand Drizzle)!" Sand clotted into lumps and shot off at high speeds towards the Uchiha. She leapt away, escaping the explosion where she was previously. Flipping, she repeatedly dodged the numerous bullets which fell like rain.

At one point, they began to overwhelm her. She formed the Tiger hand seal. "Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Fire erupted from her lungs and spewed out defensively against the falling sand, superheating it to glass.

The glass dome shattered as Sayuri burst out of it and sprinted towards Gaara. She yanked her chokutō out of its scabbard and swiped it at Gaara. As expected, the sand at his feet rose to his defence and trapped the sword.

Her grip tightened while she channelled raiton chakra through the chokutō, causing it to crackle with electricity which loosened the sand's hold.

She jumped onto the sand wall and in a single fluid movement, pulled out the Kusanagi while backflipping away. She brought her free hand to her mouth after forming some one-handed hand seals.

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!" She spat several fire bullets at Gaara who retaliated with sand to snuff out the airborne flames. While his attention was still at the sky, the Uchiha dropped to the floor and charged at him.

With far greater speed than before, Sayuri disappeared - akin to Naruto earlier. Gaara could only gasp in shock and had a mere two seconds to brace for the impact. All the crowd heard was a loud boom before Gaara was thrown with great force, crashing into the wall.

The jinchūriki coughed and found a warm, crimson liquid exit his mouth. "What is this…"

"Kaa-san… IT'S MY BLOOD! KAA-SAN! MY BLOOD!" Gaara howled dementedly. His siblings were shell-shocked. No one had ever drawn their brother's blood. Ever. They could only imagine his mental state now.

He rose slowly, glaring at Sayuri who returned the stare coldly. He slammed his hands together. The sand rumbled and surged towards the Uchiha quickly. Stabbing Kusanagi into the soil, she intoned, "Chidori Nagashi (Chidori Current)."

Raiton chakra exploded out from the sword and radiated outwards, pushing back the sand with its elemental advantage.

"UCHIHA! WHERE ARE YOUR FAMOUS RED EYES? SHOW THEM TO ME!" Gaara hollered, directing more sand at her. "SABAKU KYŪ!" The minerals in the floor beneath her was crushed into fine sand, which burst out and wrapped around her.

There was nowhere to run as the whole arena had been transformed into a giant sandbox. Sand surrounded her and clutched her within its grip.

The redhead jinchūriki cackled evilly, his voice noticeably calming down as he closed his fist. "Sabaku Sōsō (Sand Burial)!" The sand closed in on her, imploding.

"SAYURI!" Naruto screamed from the stands as he witnessed the death of his teammate. A huge cloud of sand was thrown up from the implosion of the Sand Coffin, obscuring viewers from the scene.

Suddenly, a purplish aura appeared in the haze. When the smoke cleared, it was revealed to be a huge humanoid chakra construct protecting the last Uchiha, who looked relatively unscathed.

Her right eye was now black with a red atom model - the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan - while her left was the Eye of the Six Paths. Her right eye converted back to the vermilion shade of the three-tomoe Sharingan, and the Susanoo disappeared as Sayuri formed three hand seals.

Focusing, her left hand became covered with a copious amount of lightning chakra which rumbled with the sound of a thousand birds. "Chidori," Sayuri whispered under her breath. Without warning, she charged at the Suna jinchūriki who immediately began collecting all the sand in his vicinity to form a protective sphere around him.

The A-rank raiton jutsu easily penetrated Gaara's ultimate defence, but came to a stop just as it breached the wall as Sayuri's arm was unable to reach any further through the sand. Gaara had made the wall about 75 centimetres thick.

Her eyes twitched as she noticed an increase in the chakra of the sand nearest to her. Quickly, she withdrew her arm and flipped away, just in time to avoid getting impaled by long, sharp spikes of sand.

They receded into the ball, inside which Gaara was chanting the hand seal sequence for a technique.

Naruto's eyes widened as he felt a rising sense of dread from a malevolent source of chakra. He knew this feeling. Gaara was about to release Shukaku.

Spontaneously, the sphere of sand crumbled and revealed a titanic tanuki the size of an apartment block, its skin the colour of sand and blue markings running randomly along its body.

Simultaneously, a war horn in the distance sounded. A powerful genjutsu of illusionary feathers fell on the spectators, causing them to enter a deep sleep.

Outside the walls of Konoha, troops from Sunagakure and Otogakure breached the defences and entered the village.

The invasion had begun.

Author's Notes:  
I know this chapter was short but I couldn't help it, majority of the juice is in the next chapter so please be patient! My exams are coming in exactly a week's time though so don't expect it to arrive too soon. Rate and review!

Until tomorrow,  
Ja Ne


	13. A Hole In The Leaf

Asura's Transmigrant

Author's Notes:  
Regarding a guest review about Neji being able to take a hit from Naruto's Kawazu Kumite when in canon, a single hit like that was able to cripple a body of Pain - I did read up on Narutopedia before writing that part of the story, and I had decided to nerf senjutsu slightly. Besides, Naruto did say he was holding back. That meant he had put less natural energy into his Frog Kata but by the end, Neji had angered him enough to go full out with a Six-Paths enhanced punch. Hope that answers your question!

Chapter 13: A Hole In The Leaf

Previously:

The invasion had begun.

Naruto sent a pulse of chakra through his body, breaking free of the Nehan Shōja no Jutsu (Feather Illusion Jutsu). He got up and noticed that most of the jōnins were unaffected.

"Kai!" yelled Naruto, unleashing a wave of Asura's chakra which rolled over most of his genin friends.

Just then, Kakashi came by his side. "Listen up, all of you. We're under attack by Suna and Oto, so I need those who still haven't recovered fully from the preliminaries to help evacuate the civilians, while those who are medically fit are to defend the village from the attackers. As for Naruto, I want you to help Sayuri lure Gaara away from the village to minimise the damage and together, take him down. Go!"

"Hai, Kakashi-sensei!" the genins chorused before splitting up to do their respective jobs. Naruto leapt down from the stands to the arena floor, where the tanuki was facing Sayuri.

The Uchiha jumped back and met up with the Uzumaki who filled her in on the plan. She nodded, and both ran put of Konoha, taking a dilapidated route which would not cause too much collateral damage when Shukaku was chasing them.

As expected, the One-Tail followed in hot pursuit, but due to its size, was a lot slower. This gave the two a minute to strategise how to take him down.

To take a tailed beast down was rather difficult without fūinjutsu. Naruto had one in mind, but it would take time to prepare which they might not have. Sayuri thus offered to stall the bijū with her Rinnegan. Naruto also planned to summon the Toad Chief as it would be much better to have a huge summon on their side as well.

Mindscape

"Kurama," Naruto called. "Hn?" the fox replied. "Is there a way you can bridge my conciousness with Gaara's? I wish to speak to Shukaku and persuade him."

The Kyūbi was taken aback, unsure what to make of this. Never was there a time in history where humans actually attempted to understand the bijūs. Instead, they always opted to fight them head on and seal them off. To think that Naruto actually cared about how the tailed beasts felt… his respect for his jinchūriki just gone up.

"I could link with my brother through the Bijū Shinsō Shinri (Tailed Beast Psyche Plain), if only we were fully linked as bijū and jinchūriki. That's not the case, as you can see," lamented Kurama, who tapped on the metal gate separating him and his jinchūriki. "You should ask Jiraiya, he has the key."

"Damn it," Naruto cursed, making a mental note to ask the sannin the next time he met him. "I have a solution," Asura offered, "As we may have neglected to inform you, Kurama-kun here was forced to attack Konoha by an Uchiha who wielded the Mangekyō Sharingan, the eye of my brother."

Naruto drew the dots. "So you mean the Mangekyō is capable of controlling tailed beasts… you want me to ask Sayuri?"

The Ōtsutsuki nodded. "Further than that, the wielder of the Mangekyō is capable of entering a jinchūriki's mindscape and interact within his as well as his tailed beast's conciousness."

"Alright then, thanks."

Reality

Before the Uzumaki had a chance to explain that to Sayuri, Shukaku lumbered into the forest, with Gaara sticking out of his head. The lower half of the jinchūriki's body was within the sand that made up the bijū's forehead, while the top half was exposed.

"Ike, Sayuri!" The Uchiha took off running towards the tanuki, intercepting any attacks that got in her path with her Sharingan.

Gaara roared and amassed a huge amount of fūton chakra. "Fūton: Mugen Sajin Daitoppa (Wind Style: Infinite Sandstorm Devastation)!" The tanuki's mouth snapped open and released a powerful squall with millions of sand particles within.

It tore through the forest and leveled numerous trees in the area. Sayuri formed the Horse hand seal. "Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku (Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame)!" Using her natural affinity for fire as an Uchiha, she generated a venerable amount of katon chakra which spanned a wide area, overcoming the winds with the elemental advantage.

Meanwhile, Naruto was furiously scribbling on chakra paper to build a better seal for Shukaku. If all else failed and he couldn't convince the tailed beast, he would have to resort to that.

Sand continued to fly crazily at Sayuri, who avoided most of it. "Naruto, I could use your summon's help here!" she yelled as she flipped out of the way of another assault.

"On it!" replied Naruto as he swiped his thumb across his canine, causing it to bleed. His hands danced through five hand seals.

Meanwhile, the tanuki had lunged at her as nimbly as a racoon dog the size of a house could. The Uchiha's eyes widened, and she quickly thrust out her hands, throwing as much chakra as she could into her next jutsu. "Shinra Tensei!"

A huge invisible force radiated from her and pushed back everything around her. Since Shukaku was the nearest, he took the brunt of the impact though it took the Uchiha a lot of chakra to produce the force necessary to topple the bijū.

She panted hard from the chakra expenditure as Shukaku crashed and landed on his back. The tomoes on her Rinnegan faded away, indicating the loss of its full power. Much to her chagrin, she realised she was unable to manifest her Mangekyō at this time as well.

"Kuchiyose: Yatai Kuzushi no Jutsu (Summoning: Bring Down The House Jutsu)!" Naruto called. A huge cloud of smoke appeared in the sky directly above the half-transformed Shukaku. From it, the Chief Toad plunged in a hundred metre dive and slammed his bottom on the bijū's belly, squashing it further.

"Thanks, Gamabunta!" said Naruto. The boss summon leapt away to Naruto's side upon noticing who he was sitting on. "What sort of trouble did you get yourself into this time? Why are you fighting Shukaku?"

The Uzumaki explained as briefly as he could. "Sayuri, the seal is ready," he called out. She nodded in acknowledgment. "You need to use your Mangekyō to infiltrate his mind; I wish to contact Shukaku."

The Uchiha was puzzled but didn't question him. "My Mangekyō won't be ready for quite a while. I'll need help to keep him occupied till then."

"I have your back," Bunta affirmed. "Thanks," said Sayuri as she noticed their opponent getting up. Gaara was furious. "I won't let you diminish my existence! Mother… yes… I shall listen to you… Tanuki Neiri no Jutsu (Play Possum Jutsu)!" Once the last word left his mouth, his eyes closed and he slumped forward, asleep for the first time in many years.

Naruto paled at the onset.

Mindscape

"Kurama, didn't you say Shukaku forces his jinchūriki to stay awake 24/7? What happens if the jinchūriki falls asleep?" Naruto asked.

The fox replied gravely, "Shukaku will be able to take full control of his jinchūriki and possess him. You must wake Gaara to reduce Shukaku's hold over his jinchūriki. The longer he is asleep, the more power my brother will amass."

Reality

Naruto stood up as orange chakra enveloped him, four black orbs levitating behind his back. He slipped the chakra paper into his pocket and strode next to Sayuri who was watching the bijū's actions.

The One Tail's irises turned from a dark shade of yellow to bright yellow. His pupils resembled the arrangement of xylem and phloem tissues in a dicotyledonous root - a four-sided star in the centre with dots surrounding it, one in between each edge of the star.

"I'M FINALLY FREE!" roared Shukaku, cackling madly with laughter. "LET'S GET THIS STARTED! FŪTON: RENKŪDAN (Wind Style: Air Bullet)!" He slammed his hands into his own stomach, forcing a huge ball of compressed to fire out of his mouth towards the three.

"Gama Oyabun (Chief Toad), get ready for an opening!" Naruto warned as he sent his Gūdo Dama in front. They formed a huge shield which nullified the Renkūdan upon contact. At his will, they parted to form a hole.

It was through this hole that the Toad Chief launched his counterattack. "Suiton: Teppōdama (Water Style: Gunshot)!" A copious amount of water rocketed through the opening and flew at Shukaku.

The bijū retaliated with another air bullet, causing both to meet in the middle and collide, forming a small drizzle over the forest. Meanwhile, the Uchiha and the Uzumaki took the opportunity and jumped atop Gamabunta's head.

As soon as Naruto retracted his Truth-Seeking Balls, the One-Tail created another air bullet and sent it off in their direction. The boss toad leapt up, dodging the attack and fired off the same suiton jutsu.

"Teppōdama!" "RENKŪDAN!" "Teppōdama!" "RENKŪDAN!" This went on for a few minutes. Shukaku finally said, "You really do amuse me, Uzumaki Naruto… to wield the power of my brothers… and you, Uchiha Sayuri… the eyes of my father… why do you have them?!"

Sayuri whispered as she felt a rejuvenating sensation return to her left eye, which manifested six tomoes. "My Mangekyō is ready." The three tomoes in her right eye spun and warped to form three red elipses with a black background.

Naruto requested, "Chief, get us close to the sand spirit's eye level." "You sure?" Gamabunta asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yep, we need to get close for this to work."

The toad started charging at the humongous tanuki. Shukaku belched an air bullet which Gamabunta flipped over; needless to say, Sayuri and Naruto had to hold on tight with their chakra.

As he was about to land, the toad pulled his sword out and brought it down in a huge swing at the bijū's right arm, severing it. "AHHHH!" Shukaku howled in pain. While he was distracted and unprepared, Gamabunta bludgeoned him on the head with the pommel of his sword and brought him face down onto the grass.

"Hurry," the Chief Toad urged. The Uchiha and Uzumaki complied, leaping off his head and landing right in front of Shukaku's face.

Naruto jumped onto his forehead and sucker punched Gaara, causing the jinchūriki's eyes to fly right open in horror at being awakened.

Naruto backflipped and landed next to Sayuri, who offered him a hand to hold as contact was required for him to enter the jinchūriki's conciousness as well.

The Uchiha stared into Gaara's eyes, concentrating on sending chakra to target his cerebral nervous system through visual contact. There was a noticeable change in his eyes - surprisingly, it changed into the pattern of the Rinnegan instead of the Sharingan. So her Rinnegan was actually capable of applying powerful genjutsu through eye contact as well… she took a mental note of that as she felt the world around her slip away.

Gaara's Mindscape, Time Freeze

The two appeared in a dark void with knee-height water. An unknown light source lit a small portion of the void, where Shukaku was standing. Fang-like protrusions surrounded him in the water, of which some had chains tethered to the bijū.

Gaara was standing in front of the tailed beast in a wary manner. "What are you doing here?! You cannot kill Mother!"

Naruto squeezed Sayuri's hand before letting go - a signal meaning "I got this". He strode up to the Ichibi jinchūriki and spoke, "Don't worry, Gaara. I'm not here to kill your mother. I am here to listen to what she has to say."

Naruto gave Shukaku a pointed look. "Why have you done this? Why did you tell Gaara you were his mother?"

The tailed beast's voice suddenly became more masculine, shocking the redhead. "I hate humans. I hate their existence, for they have scorned and taunted me for generations."

"K-Kaa-san?" Gaara questioned fearfully in a small voice. "I am not your mother, foolish jinchūriki. I am Shukaku, mighty one-tailed beast of the sand."

Naruto sighed sadly as he recalled the mistreatment he had faced when he was younger. Gaara must have went through the same. "Humans and beasts… there is no need for a distinction."

"No need for a distinction, you say?" Shukaku repeated, interest piqued. It was eerily similar to what his first jinchūriki, Bunpuku had said to him.

"For too long, the bijūs have been mistreated by humans. Taken against their will as bargaining chips for power amongst the villages. Their jinchūrikis, too have been mistreated by their own villagers, ostracised like a piece of trash no one deserves to see. I know because I've been through it," said Naruto, "There is no distinction between human and beast because now, who is the real beast? The bijūs deserve way better than what us humans have done to all of you. You shouldn't be sealed away and forced to live through the life of your jailor, only to be taken and sealed again into a new jailor once the previous one dies."

He spoke with such sadness in his eyes that it radiated through the tailed beast. There was actually a human who cared about how tailed beasts felt?

"That is why I seek to liberate the bijūs… to give you all the respect you deserve, not as sources of power but as the guarantors to the peace that the Rikudō Sennin had envisioned when he split all of you up… to stop the Jūbi from reforming and bringing an end to the earth again," Naruto declared with confidence. "So please… stop tormenting Gaara. Accept him as your jinchūriki, the one person who will understand you most. You will be repaid, as he will give you the respect you deserve."

Shukaku was contemplating what he said, reminded of the words Bunpuku had imparted on to him: that someday, someone would appear in the world to teach him about the heart and acceptance.

The blond turned to Gaara, who was scared of him as he had just revolutionised his whole understanding of love and acceptance. "Gaara… I know your pain as a fellow jinchūriki, always being isolated and treated like a pariah by your own villagers. I was charged for overpriced items, kicked out of many stores and ignored by my own peers. But, I learnt to realise that to love is the key to finding acceptance and avoiding the darkness. As long as you have people who are precious to you, like your family or your friends, your existence will never be diminished as you will live on forever in their hearts even if you are dead. You don't have to kill others to prove your existence. You just have to learn to protect your precious people, the people who love you most, and in return, you'll gain strength like no other. Your siblings, Temari and Kankurō love you though they are afraid to say it. In them, you'll find acceptance."

Gaara was stunned. His siblings… loved him? Shukaku spoke up suddenly in a solemn voice. "I can't believe I'm saying this to a human, but… thank you, Uzumaki Naruto. I have learnt much from you."

Naruto bowed. "There is no need. I was just speaking my mind. I sincerely hope that one day, the humans and bijūs will treat each other as equals."

Shukaku smiled. "You remind me of someone I know, a brother who once treated me the same way you do now."

"Ōtsutsuki Asura? I'm his reincarnate," Naruto explained. "No wonder. I wish you all the luck in your endeavours. Before you go, I have a gift for you."

Shukaku brought his sand claw out and clenched it into a fist, offering it to Naruto. The blond was puzzled but bumped his fist with the bijū anyway.

Instantaneously, memories flooded into his head, as well as a hell load of chakra. He recognised it as Shukaku's. Naruto saw and experienced the pain, loss and suffering the One-Tail had gone through in his lifetime, from the death of the Rikudō Sennin to death of a Suna priest named Bunpuku, his first jinchūriki.

Naruto brought his fist back down to his side. "I see… you have certainly went through a lot. Thank you for sharing this with me, Shukaku-san."

The bijū nodded. "No problem. When you have fully linked with Kurama, use the Shinsō Shinri to contact me."

"Alright. Sorry for intruding, Gaara. We shall leave." Naruto turned to Sayuri, who had a pokerface on but was inwardly impressed. He had managed to change the mindset of a bijū who was hellbent on destroying humans, and somehow turned around Gaara's views as well.

"Ja ne." The two disappeared from the mindscape of Gaara.

Reality, Time Continue

Naruto blinked, readjusting to the bright daylight. Gamabunta asked, "How did it go?"

The Uchiha replied, "Somehow, Naruto managed to convince Shukaku and Gaara to turn over a new leaf." As she said so, the body of Shukaku crumbled into sand, falling apart.

The Chief Toad was noticeably impressed. "You are truly one of a kind, Uzumaki Naruto." With that, he grabbed his sword and dispelled in a burst of smoke.

Something Naruto said earlier had caught Sayuri's attention. "By the way, what did you mean earlier when you said 'to stop the Jūbi from reforming and bringing an end to the earth again'?"

The Uzumaki replied shortly, "I'll tell you on the way. Right now we need to focus on assisting the defence of the village." He then started running back to the village, with Sayuri close behind.

He began explaining the Great Prophecy Jiraiya had told him about as well as the return of Kaguya, leaving out the part where Gamamaru had thought him to be one of the Children of the Prophecy. However, Sayuri had caught on, already suspecting it because she knew he was a student of Jiraiya.

"You're one of them, aren't you?" questioned the Uchiha. Naruto swallowed his saliva and pondered on his answer.

Mindscape

"She knows that she's Indra's transmigrant, doesn't she," Naruto said to no one in particular. "I'm positive," Asura replied, "She wouldn't have gotten the Rinnegan, much less with six tomoe otherwise. She possesses the Six Paths Yin Power. It's also highly likely that she knows you are my reincarnate. Just come clean with her. Remember what I said about trying to free her from the Uchiha clan's Curse of Hatred."

Reality

"Yes… I am one of them. You are the other Child, Sayuri-chan," replied Naruto. The Uchiha was silent. That was a reaction the Uzumaki had expected. Whenever she received news of something big, she would keep silent to think about it instead of overreacting like most people would.

Still, it was eerie to see her keep quiet for the next hundred metres or so of tree jumping. "I am the transmigrant of Indra," Sayuri announced suddenly. She then looked at Naruto expectantly.

Naruto hesitated before replying, "As you probably already know… I'm the transmigrant of Asura. Our past selves have had… interesting interactions."

"Mmhm. I'm aware." Both were then awkwardly silent as they did not know what to say. Thankfully, they had reached the walls of the village which saved them from further awkward silence.

Naruto bounded over the wall and entered the village. As soon as he landed, an Oto-nin attacked him from behind. The enemy struck with a backstab, only to find it blocked by a black shield formed by Naruto's Gūdo Dama.

The Uzumaki fashioned a shakujō out of his orbs and slammed the business end into his assailant's stomach, throwing him away like a rag doll. It was just the man's misfortune that Naruto was a sensor.

Sayuri landed next to him, and both contined to journey on into the heart of the village where the invasion was being carried out. The Uchiha took a glance with her eyes and remarked, "We're gradually pushing the enemy back. Down the block, at the alley on the left, there are six enemies."

Naruto tapped his staff onto the floor lightly. Silently and precisely, the rings attached to his staff disengaged and flew into the alley ahead of them, recombining and emitting a bright flash of light.

Seconds later, they returned to their owner's shakujō. "You sure about that, Sayuri-chan? You might wanna check again." "Six unconcious enemies," the Uchiha repeated, rolling her eyes. Any enemies they continued met a quick end, either killed by Sayuri or knocked unconcious by Naruto.

"You don't have to kill them, y'know?" Naruto commented after her latest kill. Sayuri stated simply, "Dead men can't fight you again." Secretly, the Uzumaki sent minute fragments of his Gūdo Dama to patch them up with yōton chakra.

Though they remained unconcious, at least they weren't dead. Most of the time, the Uchiha had left them for dead, causing them to bleed to death rather than decapitating them completely - of course, those who fell under the latter category were unable to be saved but the Uzumaki did what he could.

Sayuri continued to trudge ahead, mercilessly cutting down opponents with her chokutō. She then looked up, noticing a huge fluctuation of chakra at the stadium from earlier.

The chakra presences there were massive. She narrowed her eyes and took a closer look with her Rinnegan. The Uchiha gasped.

"Naruto…" "Hmm?" "The Sandaime is fighting against Orochimaru and two others, and if I'm not wrong…" her gaze shifted to the Hokage Rock, which confirmed her fears. "… the two are the Shodai and Nidaime Hokages."

Naruto was shocked. Why would the Third be facing off against two people long dead, much less his predecessors? He bet this had something to do with Orochimaru.

"Come on, we need to help Sarutobi-jiji," said Naruto, who vaulted up onto the nearest rooftop and began sprinting in the direction of the stadium. Sayuri was not far behind.

It didn't take the Rinnegan to notice that there was a giant, four-sided purple barrier present. At each corner, an Oto-nin was within the barrier, maintaining it. Upon closer inspection, there was a second barrier in front of them: essentially, the set-up was to prevent people both inside and outside from getting in or out. Simultaneously, it protected the four from attack so the barrier could be safely maintained.

Though it did not have a roof, the walls of the barrier were very high, towering into the sky. It would be impossible for them to enter from above. As Naruto neared the stadium, he asked Sayuri, "How are we going to get in?"

Sayuri answered, "I have an idea. My Mangekyō has a jikūkan ninjutsu (space-time ninjutsu) - Kamui - which allows me to teleport myself and objects in and out. I will be able to slip us through my dimension and get us within the barrier. This works because the barrier is only erected within this current dimension, and does not bridge into mine as well."

Naruto grabbed her hand, causing her to blush ever so slightly. "Let's do this." "Kamui!" Her right eye morphed into a Mangekyō. Two spiralling voids centred around her eyes drew Naruto and herself inwards, absorbing both into Kamui's dimension.

She ejected him out of her dimension once they arrived within the barrier. The blond lunged at the two Hokages at high speeds, holding up the shadow clone hand seal.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Two copies of him burst into existence and were launched at Hashirama and Tobirama, engaging them in combat while the original flew at Orochimaru with a punch augmented by Asura's chakra.

Naruto savoured the moment as his fist slammed into the the face of the snake sannin who had brought Sayuri so much pain. The satisfying crunch as Orochimaru's facial bones snapped was a melody to his ears. The force generated by his punch was enough to send the nukenin flying across the rooftop before he eventually crashed onto the roof tiles.

The blond returned to the Sandaime's side. "Jiji, what's going on?" The Third spoke, "The two former Hokages have been revived through the Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei (Summoning: Reanimation) which was invented, ironically, by the Nidaime himself. It involves calling the souls of the dead from the Pure Land and placing them in human sacrifices for their use as vessels. Dust and earth covers the vessels, forming the likeness of the dead person. Whatever bodily damage they take simply regenerates from dust. From what I've seen, they've only been revived at around 10% of their original power; Orochimaru has suppressed their wills with talismans in order to force them to fight me."

10% of their original power? Naruto looked at the rooftop in disbelief. The place was hardly recognisable as a rooftop - the entire site was a scene of devastation, covered with an extensive forest of trees from the Shodai's legendary Mokuton (Wood Style) and flooded with water by the Nidaime, who was hailed as the powerful suiton user in shinobi history. Hiruzen was no pushover either, having conjured towering earthen walls to his defence.

"Souls, you say?" Sayuri repeated with a smirk, an idea forming in her head. "Do you have a plan, Sayuri-chan?" asked the Sarutobi. The Uchiha nodded, pointing to her glowing left eye. "Naruto, get your clones to distract or restrain the Hokages."

She ran towards Tobirama who was busy fighting a clone. Of course, she knew that he was a sensor from her studies at the Konoha Archive Library so she knew it was pointless to ambush him. At least, at a level he could detect with his 10% power.

"Rinbo," she murmured. Almost immediately, her shadow grabbed hold of Tobirama, who found himself unable to move. Wasting no time, Sayuri reached for his body and intoned, "Ningendō: Kyūkon no Jutsu." Tobirama's soul materialised and with a hard yank, she disconnected and released it from his body.

The soul floated away, returning to the Pure Land while the ashen material surrounding the reanimated body left it. Only the sacrificial corpse of Tsuchi Kin remained in his place, collapsing to the floor.

With Naruto, Earlier

The original approached Hashirama, who had just obliterated his clone with a fist full of chakra. Naruto waved his hand at the Shodai Hokage, sending black rods fashioned out of the Gūdo Dama at him.

Seven of these rods pierced the Mokuton user and immobilised him as Hashirama was made from the Edo Tensei, a jutsu which the Gūdo Dama nullified.

Naruto channelled chakra into his right hand and reached into Hashirama's head, grasping a kunai with a talisman from within. Once his fingers closed around the will-suppressing seal tag, Naruto pulled it out of the reanimated Shodai Hokage and discarded it onto the floor. Hashirama's sclerae turned from black to a lighter grey, indicating the return of his will and personality.

The reanimated body widened in realisation as he recognised the chakra before him, reminiscent of his own. "You… you're me in this life, aren't you?"

"Hai, Shodai-sama," Naruto confirmed, "I am Uzumaki Naruto, Asura's next transmigrant after you, Lord Hashirama." The First's hands shot up and clutched Naruto's forearms.

"Uzumaki, huh… listen up, I need you to end the conflict with Indra's transmigrant in this life. Please promise me you'll do your best, or conflict will continue to grip the world." Naruto nodded. "Don't worry. I will, Shodai-sama."

Mindscape

"Ah, I just remembered something I wanted to tell you," said Asura, "Those who possess my chakra and have mastered senjutsu are capable of using Mokuton naturally, and so far only Hashirama and I have been known to possess Mokuton in shinobi history. Since you have just mastered senjutsu, I figured it would be a good time to tell you, and when better than in the presence of the most famed user of the Wood Style? I'll teach you some of the jutsus later once you're done with this."

Naruto did not really know how to react, but was overjoyed that there would soon be a new addition to his ninjutsu arsenal.

Reality

Naruto declared, "Goodbye, Shodai-sama. I give you my word, I will end the conflict between Asura and Indra." The First nodded as best as he could in his paralysed state, before Naruto willed the rods to expand and completely disintegrate the reanimated body.

The Uzumaki stood up just as Sayuri finished her business with the Nidaime. Both looked at each other before turning to face the snake sannin, who was slowly getting up from the Uzumaki's punch.

His face was completely unrecognisable as Naruto had significantly rearranged his facial features. To think that Orochimaru was still standing… he was definitely a tenacious enemy.

Suddenly, he gripped his disfigured face and tore it off as one would do to a sheet of paper. Under it was a new face, feminine but still retaining the striking features of Orochimaru like his sharp, slitted yellow eyes and his malicious grin. The Sandaime was bewildered as the sannin laughed evilly, licking his lips with his long, forked tongue.

"Orochimaru… what have you done? You are no longer human," Hiruzen spat, disgusted. "No, I am certainly not a human. I have ascended and became an immortal!"

The Team 7 duo exchanged glances and silently agreed on a plan. Without a word, they took off towards the snake sannin at high-jonin speeds. Sayuri reached for her pouch as she neared Orochimaru, sliding a finger through the ring of a kunai. She whipped it in front of her and threw it at the man in a straight line.

With a sharp whistling sound, it zipped towards Orochimaru. The snake sannin narrowly avoided it by tilting his head to the right, but as soon as it flew past him, Sayuri's Rinnegan locked onto it.

Naruto flashed through the hand seals for a fuinjutsu as Sayuri intoned, "Amenotejikara." Instantaneously, she swapped places with the airborne kunai, shocking Orochimaru.

The Uzumaki grabbed the kunai from where Sayuri was just an instant ago and drove it into the snake sannin's stomach just as the Uchiha brought him to his knees with a quick takedown from the back.

Naruto proceeded to grip Orochimaru's hands and glared into his eyes as jutsu-shiki appeared, running along his forearms. Searing hot pain ripped its way through his arms as his chakra network was destroyed, eliciting a scream from Orochimaru before they went completely numb and fell to his side uselessly.

The duo jumped away just before the snake sannin lashed out in anger with a snake shooting out from his mouth. It withdrew as Orochimaru wailed uncharacteristically, "My arms! What have you done to my arms?!"

Once they returned to the Sandaime's side, Naruto replied, "I have completely destroyed the chakra network in your arms. You will never be able to mould chakra to hurt anyone ever again."

Hiruzen watched their seamless teamwork in fascination, as well as the fuinjutsu that did a number on his wayward student. Without even exchanging words, the two had managed to execute a takedown and a sealing flawlessly. Teamwork of this kind was impressive; in fact, even most seasoned duos wouldn't be able to execute a plan of this level of detail without some form of communication. He was speechless.

The four Oto shinobi maintaining the barrier dropped it and quickly went to their leader's side. Orochimaru warned, "Beware, Uzumaki Naruto. This will not be the last you see of me. I will have my revenge!"

At that, one of the Oto-nin threw down a smoke bomb. When the smoke cleared, they had disappeared. After confirming the absence of the enemy, Naruto turned worriedly to the Sandaime.

"Jiji! Are you alright?" asked Naruto. The Hokage waved his hand in fatigue as he responded, "I'm fine… just a little tired. I need a long nap and a retirement after this."

The Uzumaki chuckled softly as he waved his hand over his grandfather figure, sending yōton chakra into his system. ANBU agents arrived and quickly took the aged Hokage away to the hospital for proper medical treatment.

In the distance, a war horn sounded twice for retreat. The remaining troops from Suna and Oto withdrew from the village, leading the Konoha-nin to celebrate.

Some parts of the village had been destroyed and repair work would take quite a while, at least two weeks or so. Thankfully, most of Konoha had been preserved and for the majority, life resumed as per normal.

It was Thursday, the 17th of July. It had been 5 days since the invasion, and Naruto had been working on his newly discovered Mokuton under the instruction of Asura.

It had been explained to him that the reason for needing to be a sage before unlocking the Wood Style was because he would then be able to utilise natural energy to transform his chakra to become a life source from which trees could grow. Although growing trees as a power sounded pathetic, Naruto had witnessed the power of Mokuton firsthand on the roof that day; it was without a doubt, destructive.

Other developments included the discovery of Suna's missing Kazekage: lying dead in a desert dune, his face missing as it had been stolen by Orochimaru for impersonation. Apparently, the invasion had been suggested by the snake sannin, and because Suna's leader disagreed, Orochimaru had killed him and took his place to give the people of Suna the impression that he supported the invasion. Thus, both Suna and Oto-nin participated in the invasion, or the "Konoha Crush" as it was termed.

As Sunagakure realised that it had been tricked into taking part in the Konoha Crush, it surrendered unconditionally to the Leaf, which accepted it and continued the Leaf-Sand alliance.

While the Hokage was hospitalised, the Council was making decisions on his behalf. The Third had caught wind of it and summoned Jiraiya and Naruto to his ward.

"Sarutobi-jiji, how are you doing?" greeted Naruto as he entered the ward and placed a flower in the vase on the nightstand next to his bed.

Jiraiya smacked him lightly on the back of the head. "Don't be rude, Naruto." The Uzumaki rubbed his head in mock pain.

Hiruzen smiled as he sat up. "It's okay, Jiraiya. I'm doing fine, Naruto-kun, but the village is not." He proceeded to form hand seals and created a sound barrier to keep the conversation he was about to have private.

"Jiraiya, I've heard that the Council is functioning collectively on my behalf, and knowing Danzō, the elders are probably steering decisions in their favour. The civilians in the Council are probably profiting as well, by using the damage as an excuse to channel the village's funds and monetary resources to themselves excessively. As I'm sure you know by now, I want to step down and have a successor as soon as possible. I want you to take my job, Jiraiya."

Said Toad Sage shook his head. "I won't. I have too many faults that make me unworthy of such a post. I'm also busy, what with running my spy network and authoring books for people like you. However, I do have someone else in mind."

The Third raised an eyebrow. "And who would that be?" "Tsunade-hime," Jiraiya stated tersely.

"Ah, I see… retrieving her would be a difficult task though." Jiraiya smirked. "Sarutobi-sensei, you forgot that I run the largest network of spies in all the Elemental Nations. Naruto and I will locate her and bring her back by next week. As for persuading her to return… I'm sure Naruto is able to do that, given how he convinced the jinchūriki of Shukaku to stop his rampage."

The Sarutobi smiled. "Oh yes. I called Naruto here for another reason as well. You performed excellently during the Chūnin Exams, Naruto-kun, and your effort to repel the invaders was even more admirable," Hiruzen praised.

The blond felt embarrassed at being complimented. "It's nothing much, jiji. You don't have to blow my work up to more than I actually did; Sayuri and the others contributed greatly as well."

Hiruzen nodded. "As I'm aware. There's no need to be be humble, Naruto-kun, you should be proud of what you did. For that, you are hereby unofficially promoted to chūnin. It will be made official by the new Hokage."

Needless to say, Naruto was ecstatic. He was now one step closer to the title of Hokage. "So are Sayuri and Shikamaru."

Naruto's face fell almost instantly. If Sayuri was chūnin, that meant that the CRA would be placed into effect as soon as the Council found out.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya's eyes widened at the implication of Naruto's promotion. "Sarutobi-sensei, do you mean-"

"-yes," interrupted Hiruzen, a smile on his face. "It's time Naruto knew of his heritage." Naruto's train of thought was disrupted as soon as he heard his name and the word "heritage".

"Jiji, what do you mean by heritage?" Naruto questioned, curiosity creeping into his voice. Jiraiya gave the Sandaime a knowing look before turning to the son of his most outstanding student.

"Naruto," Jiraiya announced, "Your mother was the Red-Hot Habanero of Konoha, Uzumaki Kushina."

"And your father was none other than Konoha's Kiiroi Senkō - the Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato."

Author's Notes:

*insert evil laugh here* Cliffhangers are awesome (when you're the writer)! I can foresee much hate incoming for tantalising you all like that, but patience is a virtue! I know I said not to expect an update soon, but apparently I managed to squeeze in some time to write the chapter you just read. Expect the next update soon, right after my exams on Tuesday! Rate and review :D

Until tomorrow,  
Ja Ne

P.S. For those wondering how Naruto managed to reach into Hashirama's head and remove the talisman suppressing his will, watch The Last: Naruto The Movie and you will know that he was able to do so as well with the (SPOILER ALERT!) orb that Toneri placed inside Hinata to control her.


	14. The Search For The Fifth

Asura's Transmigrant

Chapter 14: The Search For The Fifth

Previously:  
"And your father was none other than Konoha's Kiiroi Senkō - the Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato."

Naruto was silent for a total of seven seconds as the information sank in. "I-I don't understand, I mean… how is this possible? This is a joke, right?"

He looked at the Sandaime with desperation in his eyes, silently pleading the man to tell him that Jiraiya was just kidding. But he didn't. Instead, in his eyes were sadness.

"I know this must be very shocking news for you, Naruto-kun, and understandably so. I'm sorry we didn't tell you earlier. However, please know that your father had many enemies, and he wished to protect you from them. They knew that with your mother being the jinchūriki of the Kyūbi, your birth could very well result in their deaths so he wrote a will in the event he died before he got to raise you: that you would only know about him when you were promoted to chūnin, as you would at least be able to protect yourself from the enemies sure to come. And now that you know, you will inherit the Uzumaki clan compound as well as the associated assets," Sarutobi explained.

"But why? Why would the Yondaime seal the Kyūbi into his own son?" questioned Naruto as tears began to fall. Flashbacks began to run through his head about the suffering he had endured in his childhood.

Jiraiya replied, "Minato was a noble leader, and he wouldn't ask for anyone else's child to seal the Nine Tails in. If it's any comfort, he did so in the belief that you could control it and wield its power."

Naruto raised his hand to his eyes and wiped the tears that were forming. "Did they love me?" Though he already knew the reply, he wanted to hear it right from the mouth of his father's teacher.

Jiraiya nodded. "They did. They loved you a lot; before you were even born, they had already prepared a nursery full of toys in the house for your arrival, but alas that was not to be," said Jiraiya, a sad expression on his face.

"Can I go there now?" requested Naruto as he stood up. Hiruzen replied, "Go ahead. It's your birthright. It's locked by a blood seal."

As they were about to leave, the Sandaime stopped them temporarily. "Please locate Tsunade as soon as possible. I can't tolerate the Council running the village any more, much less Shimura Danzō. He's a dangerous man."

Jiraiya nodded. "We will, Sarutobi-sensei. Please take care." They then left the hospital for his apartment. As they were walking, Naruto's head was spinning with conflicted thoughts.

It was confusing. He wanted to find Tsunade as soon as possible, because he didn't want the Council - who were the people causing Sayuri so much trouble - to be in power any longer. At the same time, finding Tsunade would make Sayuri's promotion to chūnin official and valid, which would give the Council the legal right to enact the CRA on Sayuri. He decided to persuade this Tsunade person to withhold Sayuri's promotion until he could find something to stop the CRA.

When Naruto returned home, he grabbed his most important things and sealed them in a scroll to bring to his new house. The master and student took a walk to a secluded area in Konohagakure that had been overgrown with trees, which obscured the compound from the view of the public eye.

On the gate of the compound was what Naruto recognised as the blood seal the Third was talking about. He drew some blood and smeared it on the seal. Upon recognising the DNA of the owner, the gate snapped open. Naruto then modified the seal to work with his fingerprint instead as using blood to open the gate every time would be a pain in the neck.

"Your father was a seal master," Jiraiya remarked, looking approvingly at the seal, "and your mother, even more so because she originated from the Uzumaki clan."

"Wait… the Uzumakis were a shinobi clan?" asked Naruto. He had thought that the Uzumakis were a simple civilian clan or family, and never imagined that they would be a shinobi clan.

Jiraiya nodded in confirmation. "Indeed. They were a very powerful clan, and even had a village of their own called Uzushiogakure (Village Hidden In The Whirpools). The Uzumaki clan was renowned for their enormous chakra reserves and potent chakra prowess, as well as their skill with fūinjutsu; almost every member of the clan was a seal master back in the day." "Back in the day?"

"Yeah. They were widely feared by the other villages for their strength, so many years ago, some villages got together and invaded Uzushio, destroying it completely. Your mother was one of the few survivors, and she came to Konoha which was an allied village. The Shodai Hokage was married to Uzumaki Mito, the first jinchūriki of the Kyūbi, so as a result, the two villages were allied. As you can see, we still wear the red Uzumaki spiral on the back of our flak jackets in memory of the strong alliance we once had with Uzushio. Your mother became the second jinchūriki of the Kyūbi, taking over from Mito as Uzumakis were the only people who had sufficient chakra prowess and fūinjutsu to control the Nine Tails. And then we have you, the third jinchūriki, who although didn't inherit the characteristic red hair of the Uzumaki, still possesses the majestic chakra of the Uzumaki clan and their innate skill for fūinjutsu."

Naruto was silent as he digested the information, realising the power his maternal clan formerly had in its heyday. He proceeded to enter the residence: a two-storey house that wasn't too big considering it was a clan compound - compared to Sayuri's home, his was a lot smaller.

In front of the house was a small garden with a pond, and behind the house was a huge training field with barrier seals, probably for his father to train in considering the destructive nature of Kage-level techniques.

The house itself was much larger than what he was used to - a modern abode equipped with a master bedroom, a nursery, two bathrooms (one with a shower and one with a tub), an armoury, an onsen room, a kitchen and a kitchenette, a living room, a sealing room, a gymnasium, a swimming pool and a library stocked with clan manuals on fūinjutsu, clan techniques, chakra guides, law books as well as history books covering shinobi history from the birth of chakra to the Warring States Period, leading all the way to modern times with the establishment of the Five Great Shinobi Countries.

Overall, it was a pretty awesome house (definitely better than his old, vandalised apartment) and the main problems were that it was very dusty due to almost 13 years of neglect and it was too far from the Uchiha compound. The garden was also overgrown with weeds and the plants were withered. It was also too far from the Uchiha compound. He didn't like the fact that the pond water was dirty. Or the fact that it was too damn far from the Uchiha compound!

Where he only had to travel for 5 minutes previously in order to reach Sayuri, he now had to travel to the other side of the village just to see her! It was ridiculous; what if she was in urgent need of help?

He then cast the thought away. What the hell was he thinking? Sayuri was never in need of help. He then realised he was just making excuses for himself to see the Uchiha. What a pathetic person he was.

Naruto summoned fifty shadow clones to deal with the dirt issue while the original grabbed some clan manuals to read during his search for Tsunade. After packing some more essentials, Naruto and Jiraiya left the village to locate its next leader.

He was browsing through one of the law books when a clause to the Clan Restoration Act caught his eye: any clan head marrying another clan head, whether either or both were under the CRA, would make both exempt from it.

This was to encourage the mixing of bloodlines which could potentially mutate and result in stronger progeny, equipped with much more powerful kekkai genkai or even dual bloodlines. He remembered seeing this before in the Konoha Archive Library but at the time, he wasn't aware of his heritage yet. As it turned out, it was an opportunity that he could use to save both Sayuri and himself from the Clan Restoration Act.

However, it would certainly cause a lot of awkwardness between them and he didn't know if he was ready for that. To think that one day, he would be marrying his teammate, Uchiha Sayuri. The mere thought of it was hilarious. Why would she want to be with a guy like him?

Mindscape

Kurama shook his head. "This guy is clueless."

Asura stifled a laugh, settling for a smile instead. "Ah, young love. My incarnate is honestly dense in that department."

Reality

He was only doing this to save her from the CRA, but he didn't want to infringe on her personal freedom to pursue the person she truly loved. Well, he supposed it was a necessary evil. A small part of him craved for her affection, but Naruto suppressed it for the sake of doing it in the name of duty.

Now, he was overjoyed and couldn't wait to find Tsunade, as doing so would cement his position as the Uzumaki clan head, thereby allowing him to manipulate the loophole he had just discovered. He was grinning to himself as he strode alongside Jiraiya, who was reading his own books and giggling.

"Yo, Ero-sennin (Perverted Sage)! Where are we headed to?" Naruto asked, noting that he hadn't been informed of the destination.

Jiraiya paused and looked up from his book. "I've received intel from my sources that Tsunade was spotted recently in the Land Of Fire. Lately, many towns in the area are having festivals. Where there are festivals, there will be gambling; and where there's gambling… Tsunade will be there without a doubt. So we'll start town hopping and we'll find her soon enough. And stop calling me, Ero-sennin, dammit!"

"Pfft." Naruto rolled his eyes, looking pointedly at the erotic literature in his teacher's hands. He resumed reading his clan manual.

Just then, a thought came to mind as he was thinking about seals: he had yet to ask Jiraiya to unlock the Hakke Fūin.

"Say, Jiraiya-sensei," Naruto called suddenly, immediately getting the attention of the Toad Sage as he was addressing him properly for once.

"Yes?" "I'd like you to give me the key to the Eight Trigrams Seal." "Wait wha-?" "You heard right, sensei. The Kyūbi and I are on good terms, and I even know his real name. Since you already know about Ōtsutsuki Asura, you shouldn't be worried about any 'demonic possession'. Unlocking the seal will allow us to link fully and perform the Bijūka (Tailed Beast Transformation), as well as let me gain uninhibited access to his chakra. I could have ended the fight with Gaara much faster if I could use the Bijūka or the Bijū Shinsō Shinri then, so please give me the key," Naruto persuaded, knowing he would have to do all he could to gain possession to the key. He hated speaking about Kurama like that - a weapon or a power source - but knew it was necessary to convince Jiraiya to trust him with to unlock it.

"I'm sorry, Kurama, I don't like talking about you like that-" Naruto thought before he was cut off by a "It doesn't matter" from Kurama. It did, but the kitsune was glad that his jinchūriki cared so much about his kind.

"Alright," Jiraiya acquiesced. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" An orange and black toad appeared in a burst of smoke. Eyeing the blond with blue eyes, Gerotora instantly recognised his original summoner's son.

He still remember the exact words the Fourth had said to him: "When Naruto is ready, give him the key." So, the first question he asked was, "Is he ready, Jiraiya?"

The sannin weighed his answer as he knew his reply would be instrumental in convincing the skeptical toad to hand over the key. The Toad Sage decided to have his faith in his student. "I strongly believe so, Gerotora."

Naruto looked at Gerotora confidently. "I'm prepared, Gerotora-san." Uneasily, the toad took a final glance at the blond before reluctantly jumping into his mouth.

The Uzumaki's eyes widened in shock and disgust as the toad was wriggling his way into his mouth.

"It's part of the process, Naruto. Sit down and get to your subconcious, concentrate on channelling the Kyūbi's chakra," instructed Jiraiya.

Naruto complied, closing his eyes as he was pulled into his mindscape.

Mindscape, Time Freeze

When the Uzumaki appeared before the huge bars of the gate separating Kurama from him, the parchment with the kanji for "Seal" began to peal off. Finally, it dropped off completely and landed in the water within the basement, beginning to dissolve.

This revealed a circle-shaped spiral lock in between the two doors of the prison. At the same time, chakra gathered from the dissolved parchment and manifested into two people: the Yondaime and his wife.

Naruto's eyes went wide. When he calmed down, he decided to try saying the words he never got to all his life. "Tou-chan… Kaa-chan?"

The beautiful red-haired lady smiled and nodded. "Naruto-kun… I'm your mother Kushina. And this is your father, Minato." The blond man laughed.

"I never thought I would get to see my son all grown up. How old are you now, Naruto-kun?" the handsome Yondaime asked. "12 and 3/4… tou-chan," replied Naruto unsteadily, still fazed by this unreal scenario. The photogenic couple before him was really his parents?

Minato was slightly surprised. The boy seemed horribly mature for his age; it must have been the experiences he had gone through as the Kyūbi's jinchūriki. "I see. Almost 13 already… I'd like to speak to you further, but first, we have business to do. I built it into the seal such that our chakras would be released should the seal break. So now, we'll have to subdue that guy," he said, gesturing at the kitsune behind the bars of the seal.

"There's no need for that, Tou-chan," Naruto replied, before explaining at length his life story so far. He introduced them to Asura as well.

Kurama growled. "Can y'all talk later? I don't fancy being stuck here any longer than I should be."

Naruto laughed. "Right. Gomen, Kurama." He reached for the seal on his stomach and like a knob, he turned the spiral inscribed on it.

Accordingly, the spiral lock on the gate began to unwind before disappearing completely into the interior of the gate. For the first time in 13 years, the doors of the gate swung open.

Kurama grinned as he got up and stretched, feeling much more at home with the wider leg room. Then a thought occurred to him. "Can't you just change the scenery to something nicer? It is your mindscape, after all."

"Oh, yeah." Naruto rubbed his chin thoughtfully before snapping his fingers at the first thing that came to his mind. The basement warped and disappeared, becoming a lawn filled with an ocean of flowers that stretched to infinity.

Kurama sweatdropped noticeably. The change was drastic and was a little too flowery for his liking. Naruto noticed this and snapped his fingers again sheepishly, replacing the field with a lush forest instead.

"Much better now. Thank you, Naruto."

The blond smiled as it was the first time he heard it from his tenant. "You're welcome, Kurama."

He turned back to his parents, who continued to converse with him about his life. "So, do you have a crush?" Minato asked with a cheeky smile on his face.

Asura watched with amusement as Naruto's expression turned uncomfortable, blood flushing his cheeks. Kushina noticed this and laughed aloud. "Aww, so you do have a crush Naru-chan!" she cried, "Who is she? Is she cute? Is she nice?"

"What's with all these questions Kaa-chan?" Naruto complained, his blush worsening at each and every one. "She is cute, no beautiful in my opinion. As for nice… I don't really know. Sometimes, she's very kind to me and other times she's cold. I don't get it."

Minato chuckled. "Women… complicated, whatever the generation." That earned him a smack on the back of his head from none other than the Red-Hot Habanero herself. "Ya sexist bastard!" "OWW!"

Kushina smiled. "I'm sure you'll gain her attention, Naruto-kun. If you're anything like your father, your charisma, charm and kindness will get her attention. I'm sure of it."

Naruto shook his head. "I'm not so sure about that. I don't know if she even likes me one bit." "You still haven't told us her name, Naruto-kun," said Minato.

"Her name is Uchiha Sayuri." Minato flinched visibly at the surname, which was justified since the one who had attacked him that night and caused many losses to the village possessed the ocular power of the clan.

Kushina's eyes went wide. "Uchiha Sayuri? Isn't that Mikoto-chan's daughter, Minato-kun?" The Hokage nodded. "I remember. You even said you wanted to arrange a marriage between Naruto-kun and Sayuri when they grew up!"

Kushina sighed. "I wished I got the chance to. Now, Naruto-kun is pining for her affection and is receiving mixed signals."

"Eh…? I do plan to propose to her after I find Tsunade though. Our marriage will save her from the CRA, though I'm really hoping she at least likes me. I don't want to force her into a loveless marriage, and hope she finds the one she truly loves so she'll at least be happy," Naruto said.

Kushina's eyes lit up. "Ah, how romantic! Not even caring if she likes someone else as long as it'll make her happy! That's true love alright; selfless and unconditional."

Minato wasn't as cheerful, realising that Sayuri being under the CRA meant that she was the last of her kin. He empathised with his son, patting his fellow blond on the back. "I really hope she likes you, Naruto-kun. I don't want you to be emotionally hurt. I know very well how long it takes to get a girl to know your feelings and reciprocate…" His gaze trailed to Kushina. He turned back and continued.

"But trust me… when she does… it'll all be worth it," said Minato. "Thank you, Tou-chan. I'll keep that in mind," Naruto replied, smiling.

Asura cleared his throat. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Naruto-kun, please don't forget what you were here for." Kurama had been waiting patiently (awfully uncharacteristic of him but he must have been enjoying his new freedom), and when Naruto finally faced him, he stuck out his fist.

By now, the Uzumaki knew what to do. The blond boy tapped his fist against the titanic kitsune's, connecting his already massive chakra reserves to the Kyūbi's. Like a floodgate that burst open, chakra surged into his body; Naruto's and Kurama's chakra were now linked via a powerful conduit that was not only physical, but also spiritual in nature.

A huge collection of memories were exchanged as well. Naruto felt a fair share of Kurama's pain and suffering, very similar to that of Shukaku just that his hatred was far greater. The two now shared a much deeper understanding of each other, their drive and their motivation, their emotions and their reasoning behind every action.

Kurama cracked a grin, which just looked downright intimidating with his fearsome facial structure. Unlike before, Naruto was no longer even a little bit afraid of the tailed beast. He returned a smile as well. "Thank you, Kurama." "Heheh."

Minato noticed his body beginning to fade, as did Kushina. "Our chakra won't last much longer in here. We have at most a minute left. I have one more thing left to do... I sealed the Yin half of Kurama into myself and the Yang half into you. Now, I plan on releasing the Yin half and reuniting their chakra."

As he said so, he rapidly flashed through a chain of hand seals. The Hakke Fūin under Minato's shirt began to fade, before Minato finally yelled, "Hakke Kaiin (Eight Trigrams Unseal)!"

Chakra bubbled and exploded from the seal on Minato, bursting out and flying straight towards Yang-Kurama. The Yin half of the Kyūbi's chakra merged with its Yang half, finally restoring Kurama to his original form and power.

The majestic bijū smirked as he felt the return of his former strength. Minato continued, "I have one last important thing to tell you: that night, a masked man with the Sharingan attacked Konoha. He was the one who drew Kurama from your mother and summoned him to attack the village. I strongly believe him to be Uchiha Madara since he entered the village without triggering the sensing barrier, and could control Kurama."

The tailed beast shook his head. "No, it wasn't Madara. His Sharingan was different; he was another Uchiha pretending to be Madara, as I could tell from his chakra signature. And Kami knows why."

Kushina warned, "We have about ten seconds left." They spoke the next words together.

"Just remember, whatever you do, we'll always love you." With those parting words, the chakra forms of Minato and Kushina dissolved into nothingness.

Naruto smiled with tears falling down his face once again. He was very ecstatic to have met his parents, and it sucked that they were now gone. Well, it appeared that he would just have to make them proud. He knew they would be watching from the afterlife.

Kurama spoke, "Naruto, let me brief you on our new abilities. Now that I'm back at my full strength, what you could originally do with Bijū Modo (Tailed Beast Mode) is amplified. Firstly, you can choose to either do a partial or a complete transformation; the former allows you to manifest my head, tails, claws or any part of my body for standard combat purposes, while the latter lets you transform into my whole chakra body for large-scale battles. If you want to summon my complete self in the flesh outside of yourself, use the Kuchiyose instead. You will now be able to use the Bijū Dama when you are in Bijū Modo, and since it shares some characteristics with the Rasengan in terms of its formation, learning how to perform it shouldn't be too difficult."

"You'll also be able to summon shadow clones of me during the Tailed Beast Transformation, and in Six Paths Sage Mode, combine them to form a giant multi-headed avatar. And since our chakra pools are connected, I can amass natural energy for you while inside you since I'm technically not moving when within. I could go on and on, but you get the point. Over the next few days, I'll be teaching you how to maximise the potential of our connection, including many of the awesome abilities I possess outside of the Bijū Dama."

"I'm looking forward to it, Kurama," said Naruto with a grin. Asura reminded, "Shukaku-kun told you to use the Shinsō Shinri to contact him once you two were fully linked as bijū and jinchūriki, remember?"

"On it," Kurama grunted, his hands together as he gathered chakra to connect the spiritual energy of Shukaku and his own. This was the hallmark of ninshū (ninja creed), the ability to connect people's spiritual energy with chakra in order to enhance communications without speaking or even being near each other; in fact, it was the original reason Hagoromo had distributed his chakra to humans in the first place: not to fight, but to make peace. Alas, it had been weaponised into ninjutsu by Indra and since then, been the cause of bloodier conflicts throughout history.

Kurama, Naruto and Asura disappeared from the mindscape, reappearing within a plain white void with Shukaku and Gaara.

Tailed Beast Psyche Plain

"So, Shukaku-san, why did you ask me to contact you?" questioned Naruto curiously. The One-Tail responded, "When I shared my memories and chakra with you, I had also gifted my Jiton (Magnet Style) along with it. By now, my chakra should have assimilated completely into your chakra coils, imbuing it with the Magnet Style. Whenever you mould fūton and doton chakra simultaneously, you will produce my signature jiton, which allows you to bind and restrain opponents with curse marks like those on my body," Shukaku explained.

Naruto's face lit up. "That's an awesome ability you have, Shukaku-san! Arigato." Shukaku smirked. "And congratulations for merging with my brother."

He looked at Kurama. "Treat him well, niisan." "Tsk. I don't need you to tell me that." Naruto interrupted, "But why didn't you just tell me this when you first gave it to me?"

Shukaku answered, "Simple. I sensed that my other brother's incarnate was there as well. I did not want her to know about what you would receive from me."

"Sayuri," Naruto thought. His expression returned to normal. "Whatever the case, thank you very much, Shukaku-san. Ja ne."

The Kyūbi and his jinchūriki disappeared once again.

Reality, Time Continue

"So, how was it?" asked Jiraiya nervously when he noticed Naruto's eyes opening. The blond stood up and said, "It was cool. I got to meet my parents and unlocked a whole new set of abilities."

Jiraiya sighed in relief. At least he didn't go on a rampage and destroy Hi no Kuni. "Well, looks like you'll be able to use the next few days of your journey to train. At least you'll be ready for Akatsuki when they come for you."

"Akatsuki? What's that?" asked Naruto.

Jiraiya replied, "The Akatsuki are a group of S-rank nukenin with a sole objective: to capture and gather all the nine tailed beasts. No one knows why, either. The group operates in two-man teams consisting of Uchiha Itachi of the Sharingan from Konohagakure and Hoshigaki Kisame, the Tailless Tailed Beast from Kirigakure, Sasori of the Red Sands from Sunagakure and Deidara from Iwagakure (Village Hidden In The Rocks), Hidan from Yugakure (Village Hidden In Hot Water) and Kakazu from Takigakure. Orochimaru was once part of this organisation as well but defected. There are more members but I'm not sure of their identity."

"You mentioned that they want to collect the bijū," Naruto noted. "I have a feeling I know why." The Uzumaki then repeated the Prophecy that Jiraiya had told him about, emphasising the return of Kaguya and the Infinite Tsukuyomi, as well as the Gedō Mazō.

Naruto theorised that the Akatsuki planned to restore the Jūbi and use it as a weapon of mass destruction. "If so, stopping them will be crucial," Jiraiya said, "I will train you to prepare for a confrontation as soon as possible."

With that, the two strode onward to the next town, unaware of another pair that had just arrived at the village: one of those they had just mentioned.

Konohagakure

Two figures donning straw hats and black cloaks with red clouds strode towards the village calmly. One of them carried a huge popsicle-like object wrapped in white bandages. They approached the gate, unfazed by the chūnin guard who ordered them to stop.

"Halt. What's your business in Konohagakure?" the guard asked as per protocol. The one who wasn't carrying anything raised a hand to his hat, tilting it slightly such that the powerful, hypnotising gaze of his glowing red eyes made contact with the guard's.

"Our business…"

"Is none of yours."

The duo walked in casually as the chūnin collasped to the floor. "Let's grab some dango, Kisame." The one carrying the huge popsicle nodded his head in agreement.

They entered a dango stand and ordered some to eat while thinking about their mission. Loitering just outside this stand was none other than the Copy Ninja, Hatake Kakashi.

The jōnin senseis of Team 8 and 10 walked by, greeting the silver-haired ninja. "Yo. You two seem to be getting along," Kakashi teased.

Kurenai blushed, while Asuma started coughing. The genjutsu specialist replied, "It's not what you think, Anko just asked me to get some dango for her."

Kakashi's eyebrows were raised as that didn't account for Asuma's presence. The Sarutobi, eager to change the topic, asked, "What about you?"

The sensei of Team 7 flashed some field signals while replying, "I'm waiting for Sayuri to get here." His non-verbal message got through clearly to his fellow jōnins: tail the two inside.

The raven-haired man inside the stand paused his eating upon hearing that name.

Asuma scoffed. "You, Hatake Kakashi, early and waiting for someone? That's a surprise." Kakashi didn't reply as his student arrived.

Sayuri was surprised to see her sensei already there. "You're actually early for once, Kakashi-sensei?" The two jōnins burst out laughing.

"Hey, I can be early for some things if I want to," the Hatake retorted. "Anyways… I don't really like sweet stuff. Could we eat somewhere else?"

Kakashi nodded. "Sure. Let's go to Ichiraku." As they walked away, Asuma and Kurenai lifted the flap covering the dango stand. The two had vanished.

Konoha Park

The pair of cloaked men strode down the walkway beside the lake of the park. Unsurprisingly, the two jōnin that were tailing them appeared in front of them.

"Halt. I've never seen you guys in the village before, you must be strangers and yet you seem to know the village very well. Identify yourselves," demanded Asuma.

The raven-haired man smirked. He looked up and once again, tilted his hat to reveal his striking crimson eyes swirling with three black magatama.

"The Sharingan…!" Kurenai thought.

"It's been a long while…" said the man as he discarded his straw hat to the floor. "Asuma-san, Kurenai-san."

"Y-you're Uchiha Itachi!" Kurenai exclaimed in disbelief. Kisame tossed his hat aside as well. "I have yet to introduce myself."

"You don't have to," Asuma said, "Hoshigaki Kisame of the Seven Swordsmen Of The Mist." The squaline man grinned. "I suppose you know my sword as well then. Samehada!"

The Kiri nukenin lunged at Asuma and swung the popsicle-shaped package off his shoulder. Quickly, the Sandaime's son raised a trench knife to block the incoming sword.

Despite putting in a lot of force, the weight of Samehada was still very great and bore down on Asuma, who was just inches away from getting his shoulder torn off by the sword.

Meanwhile, Kisame wasn't putting much effort at all to press his sword down on the Sarutobi. "My sword doesn't cut you… it shreds you to ribbons!" With that, he pushed the sword down with even more force than before, making Asuma manoeuvre to the side and counter with a swipe of his other hand's trench knife, which he had imbued with fūton chakra.

The buzzing blade sliced Kisame's cheek just as Samehada narrowly glanced past Asuma's left shoulder. Still, a huge wound appeared on his shoulder; the blade had somehow torn through his flak jacket as well as his shirt.

Asuma grimaced as he returned to Kurenai's side. If the brief exchange told him anything, it was that they would be severely ****ed without backup.

Itachi remarked, "Be careful, Kisame. He was a former member of the Shugonin Jūnishi (Guardian Shinobi Twelve)." Kurenai formed hand seals and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Suddenly, a tree grew around Itachi and bound him to it. Kurenai emerged from the part of the trunk right above his head, a kunai poised to strike.

"This is the end for you, Itachi. Magen: Jubaku Satsu (Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death)!" With that, she thrust the kunai into Itachi's head.

Itachi looked up at her, his red eyes glaring into her soul. His form shimmered before warping and contorting. A second later, and Kurenai was the one who found herself secured to a tree.

Itachi was standing a metre away with his Sharingan glowing. "You should know, Kurenai-san, genjutsu of that level doesn't work on me." He charged at her with the intent to repeat her motion.

Urgently, Kurenai bit her lip and drew blood. The pain broke the genjutsu, just in time for her to see Itachi spin around and execute a roundhouse kick.

Though she had raised her hands in a block, the kick was still powerful enough to send her over the railing and into the lake.

Itachi body flickered next to her on the surface of the lake. Suddenly, he felt the cold sensation of the blade of a kunai on his neck.

"It's over for you," stated Kakashi coldly.

With Asuma, Earlier

Asuma watched his fellow jōnin in concern as she was launched into the lake by a single kick from the Uchiha. Kisame warned, "This isn't the time for you to be looking over there, Asuma-san. Suiton: Suikōdan no Jutsu (Water Style: Water Shark Bomb)!"

"Suiton: Suikōdan no Jutsu!" came another cry.

The two techniques collided and cancelled each other out. The one who had released the other Water Shark Bullet was a shadow clone of Kakashi, who was currently holding Itachi at kunaipoint.

Itachi chuckled in a deep voice. "It seems we have ourselves a battle."

Five Minutes Later

Kakashi was kneeling on the surface of the water in intense pain from the Tsukuyomi that Itachi had just cast on him, while Asuma and Kurenai were quivering in fear and had their eyes closed as they did not want to meet the same fate.

Itachi cupped his bleeding eye, in pain as well due to the drawback of the Mangekyō ability. Kisame was about to end the fight when Maito Gai jumped in front of his three comrades and intervened.

"It is I, Maito Gai, Konoha's Sublime Green Beast Of Prey!" the taijutsu specialist shouted. "Kisame… let's go. We were here to search for our target, not cause a huge ruckus. More reinforcements are certainly on the way," said Itachi.

"Alright," Kisame complied.

"Wait… who is it you guys are after… is it Sayuri?" asked Kakashi, still panting hard from the genjutsu.

"No. We are after the Yondaime's legacy," Itachi answered cryptically. In a blur, they disappeared.

"Naruto, huh?" Kakashi thought before finally succumbing to the effects of the Tsukuyomi and fainting.

Half An Hour Later

Sayuri went to find Kakashi in his apartment. Earlier, after having a quick lunch at Ichiraku's, her sensei had left her at a training ground to perfect her Chidori, stating that he had something to do and that he would be back soon.

It had been 30 minutes and she sensed something was off so she went looking for him. When she reached his apartment, she found many pairs of shoes outside the door.

Quickly, she entered his bedroom and found him lying in bed, surrounded by the other jōnin senseis of her graduating class as well as Gai, the taijutsu specialist.

She asked, "What happened to Kakashi-sensei? Why is he in bed and why are all of you here?" Many thoughts started racing through her head, for the last time he was in this condition, he had overused his Sharingan during his mission to Wave.

All of a sudden, a tokubetsu jōnin - Yamashiro Aoba - burst into the room in a panicked state. Without much situational awareness, he blurted out, "Is it true? Did Itachi really return to the village looking for Naruto?"

The room's temperature immediately dropped by 5 degrees. Sayuri's expression had changed completely. She turned to face Aoba, who was terrified as her eyes had morphed into the powerful dōjutsu of her clan as well as the Six Paths.

"What?!" she roared. With that, she disappeared out the door in the blink of an eye. "Baka!" cried an exasperated Asuma, who along with the other jōnin in the room, were trying to keep the situation a secret from the Uchiha knowing the effect her brother had on her.

Sayuri ran through the streets of Konoha urgently. Though she did not know where Itachi was, she did know that he was after Naruto, and she knew she would be able to sense Naruto's chakra.

Despite not being a sensor, since the day she awakened the power of Indra, she seemed to possess an innate knowledge of Naruto's location, wherever he was. And now, she could tell that he was in a distant place certainly outside of Konoha. Without much thought, she exited the village and tore down the path to her brother and the one she loved.

With Naruto

Jiraiya and Naruto had just visited and combed three towns, and so far, there was still no sign of the Slug Princess. Along the way, Naruto had been productive and practised his new techniques whenever they stopped for a break.

By the time they entered the next town, it was already sunset. "We'll crash here for tonight," said Jiraiya as they walked into the town, which seemed to be in a celebratory mood.

The two walked into an inn and Jiraiya checked in. It wasn't long before the Toad Sage left Naruto alone in the room, citing that he had "research" to do.

"Yeah, right," Naruto scoffed as Jiraiya closed the door behind him. Regardless, he decided to do some reading on the seal manuals.

He was close to piecing the puzzle together when he heard a knock on the door. He closed his eyes, extending his sensory range and found two males, one around 17 while the other was 29.

The 17 year old had a chakra capacity matching Kakashi's and was perhaps even slightly larger. On the other hand, the 29 year old's chakra reserve was massive, outstripping Jiraiya and was just below Shukaku's. It was the largest chakra pool belonging to a shinobi he had ever detected that wasn't his own.

The blond restrained a gasp when he traced the ancestry of the 17 year old as it was eerily similar to Sayuri's. He was an Uchiha, which could only mean one thing.

"Uchiha Itachi."

Author's Notes:  
Sorry that this chapter was mostly informational and lacked much action. Trust me, I have planned many fights for the next chapter! As some of you have guessed from the previous chapter, Naruto is in fact going to use political marriage as a way to ward off the CRA. Kudos to those who had guessed it! But will Sayuri accept it? We'll see very soon! Rate and review :)

Until tomorrow,  
Ja Ne


	15. The Fifth Fire Shadow

Asura's Transmigrant

Chapter 15: The Fifth Fire Shadow

Previously:  
"Uchiha Itachi." Quickly, Naruto sealed everything away, prepared to make a getaway. "Kami he's even polite enough to knock," thought Naruto.

The blond opened the door, and as expected, was greeted by the sight of two nukenin. According to what Jiraiya had told him earlier, Itachi's partner was Kisame.

"Naruto-kun, we've come for you," said Itachi. Kisame grinned, exposing his shark-like teeth. "Can I cut off his legs? He won't be able to escape then and will certainly be easier to capture."

Itachi didn't answer and instead, drove his foot into Naruto's stomach. Instead of flying back from the kick, the Uzumaki dispelled in a burst of smoke. "It's a kage bunshin," noted Itachi, who observed the curtains in front of the open doors to the balcony swaying, despite there being no wind.

The Akatsuki pair made their way to the balcony, where they saw the original just vaulting over the wall of the inn's backyard and entering a huge clearing in the forests surrounding the town.

The two gave chase.

Clearing

The Uzumaki spun around, knowing that the shadow clone wouldn't have stalled the two S-rank shinobi for long. Of all times, his sensei was away doing "research"? What rotten luck!

He knew that a fight would be inevitable so he decided to bring the battle to a more suitable place that wouldn't cause as much destruction to the town property. He would have to attract Jiraiya's attention somehow.

Itachi voiced, "Naruto-kun, why do you run from us? Come with us willingly and Kisame will not have to drag you away by force."

Naruto retaliated, "I'm not having any of your good cop bad cop bullshit. I know you're here for my bijū, and you're not having him."

"Oh? It seems that we won't be capturing you without a fight. Let's go, Kisame." The blue-faced man charged at the blond and swung his sword.

"This fight will not be an easy one. Lend me your power, Kurama," Naruto thought. He received an acknowledging grunt as the kitsune got to work amassing chakra and natural energy.

At the last second, Naruto's eyes flew open and he dodged the sword completely with his speed. Samehada crashed into the ground and obliterated the grass easily.

"Eh…? You're pretty fast for a genin," Kisame remarked as he executed a kick which Naruto evaded once again. Grabbing Kisame's extended foot, Naruto lifted the nukenin without much effort and tossed him away.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Naruto intoned. The Kiri nukenin swung his sword out in front of him, cleaving the fireball in two.

"So that sword absorbs chakra?" asked Naruto to no one in particular. Kisame laughed. "Indeed. And it likes the taste of your chakra very much."

"Suiton: Bakusui Shōha (Water Style: Exploding Water Shockwave)!" Kisame yelled before expelling a great volume of water from his mouth.

As it surged towards him, Naruto's body underwent multiple changes due to the rise in Six Paths Sage Chakra. He sent his four Truth-Seeking Balls into the incoming wave and caused it to disappear without a trace.

"What?!" Kisame cried as he witnessed his suiton jutsu being negated. Like his fellow swordsman before him, he was shocked by this onset as well.

The four Gūdo Dama returned to orbit behind Naruto's back. "Since your sword loves my chakra so much… it can have it!" shouted Naruto who formed the clone seal. A huge plume of smoke erupted into the air and from it, hundreds of shadow clones flew at Kisame with spiralling spheres in their hands.

"Senpō: Chōōdama Rasen Tarengan (Sage Art: Massive Rasengan Barrage)!" the shadow clones screamed.

Kisame waved his sword in front of him as a shield before Itachi could even warn him. Samehada absorbed and dispelled all the shadow clones and their Rasengans, and the more he did so, the heavier his sword felt.

By the time the last shadow clone came flying at him, his sword had already been turned to stone from the natural energy. Itachi leapt to his side and quickly conjured his Susanoo, an orange chakra construct which blocked the last shadow clone's attack.

"Samehada!" Kisame lamented, "You will pay for this, Uzumaki Naruto."

The original formed two hand seals. "Mokuton: Hotei no Jutsu (Wood Style: Laughing Buddha Jutsu)!" Two giant hands erupted from the ground and attempted to restrain Itachi's Susanoo.

"Mokuton? How is he able to manipulate the Shodai Hokage's Wood Style?" Itachi wondered in amazement.

Naruto sensed a spike of chakra in Itachi's right eye, and given their distance, he knew that it was going to be long-range technique. A trail of blood leaked down the Uchiha's eye.

"Amaterasu!" Black flames flew at him at high speeds, causing him to whip out his shakujō and send it forward to intercept them.

"Mokuton: Mokuryū no Jutsu (Wood Style: Wood Dragon Jutsu)," Naruto uttered. Since Itachi could read his lips, the Uchiha's eyes widened in surprise. This was an iconic technique of the First to subdue the bijū by absorbing their chakra and he had to make sure that it didn't touch his Susanoo.

He noticed a presence of chakra beneath the ground and knew that the dragon was about to strike. The moment it burst out from the ground, Itachi formed a huge sake jar and slammed it down on the dragon.

As he did so, liquid spilled forth from the jar like a blade and when it fell on the dragon, it was sucked into the jar.

Naruto analysed this and realised that the sword was clearly not made of chakra or it would have been absorbed by his dragon, and also, it was one equipped with a powerful fūinjutsu given the way it sucked his dragon into the jar.

"Very good, Naruto-kun. You are one of the few to actually force me to use my Totsuka no Tsurugi (Totsuka Blade)," said Itachi. For no apparent reason, the Uchiha then winced and closed his eyes, which caused his Susanoo to fade away.

The Uzumaki said, "I see. So overusing your eyes will cause pain. Am I correct?" Kisame was not amused. "This kid is really something else, Itachi-san."

"Kurama, ready to go?" "Mmhm."

A huge amount of chakra was pumped into Naruto's system and caused it to flood and burst out of his body, taking the shape of the feared bijū.

"This is bad, Kisame. I can sense Jiraiya coming soon. And if Naruto-kun knows the Tailed Beast Ball-" As if on cue, a high-pitched sound echoed across the clearing as chakra was gathered into a purple ball.

Though Naruto didn't have much experience making a Bijū Dama, he had let Kurama take control of his body to do so. If they were in a car, Kurama would be the metaphorical driver while Naruto was the passenger.

"Itachi, you deserve this after what you did to Sayuri-chan," Naruto shouted over the roar of the forming Tailed Beast Ball.

"Thank you for taking care of her. I leave her to you, Naruto-kun," Itachi replied. Just as the blond released the ball, the two scattered into water and crows.

The Bijū Dama sailed harmlessly away into the distance, exploding within the forests. "Shit, they escaped," thought Naruto.

Just then, Jiraiya arrived at the clearing. "I felt the Kyūbi's chakra being released. Were you fighting someone?"

"They are gone," Naruto deadpanned. "It was Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame." He was then hit with a sudden sense of foreboding. Why could he sense Sayuri's chakra approaching him?

Said Uchiha burst out from the forest, having detected the surge of the Kyūbi's chakra and witnessed the Bijū Dama being detonated. She had assumed the worst and rushed in the direction of Naruto.

She saw that the Uzumaki was safe and with his master Jiraiya, but noticed that Itachi was gone. Naruto was worried about her reaction since he knew about the trauma her brother had caused her.

"ITACHI!" Sayuri hollered. She fell to her knees on the grass and punched the floor in anger, making mounds of dirt fly. "WHY?! WHY?! I WAS SO CLOSE!" she screamed in rage. She had the chance to kill her brother and avenge the clan, but she had missed it completely. And how had Naruto driven him off? Was he that strong?

Naruto was obviously worried about her mental state. It didn't take his Negative Emotions Sensing to tell him that she was clearly furious, frustrated and filled with self-loathing for her inability to slay her brother.

Terrifyingly, she suddenly went quiet. The Uchiha stood up with resolve and determination smouldering in her eyes. She was about to put herself through hell to become strong enough to stop her brother.

Her chakra had flared due to her agitation and the deep hatred in her soul caused the grass around her to wither and the soil to be pushed away. Her chakra presence, though not as much as Naruto's, was equally potent and was in fact ten times more intimidating.

Sayuri's Mindscape

Indra smiled as he witnessed the Uchiha before him, her will crumbling away and succumbing to the darkness that had enraptured him before.

"Come, Uchiha Sayuri. I can give you greater strength," coaxed the Ōtsutsuki. The Uchiha looked at him. "I don't want your strength, Indra. I want to do this on my own."

The man gave a hollow laugh. "You won't advance far with your dōjutsu without my assistance, Sayuri. There are many things you still have to learn, especially if you wish to surpass my brother's incarnate."

"Fine. Show me, Indra."

"Gladly."

The Ōtsutsuki narrowed his eyes. Within her mind, she still had feelings for the Uzumaki. It would be troublesome for him to eradicate those feelings so he could corrupt her completely; well, at least she was a step closer to the darkness and would naturally be completely engulfed within it in time. Patience would be something he must have.

Reality

The Uzumaki shivered in her presence and felt a chill run down his spine. He was actually afraid of this side of her, but was willing to reach out to her and comfort her. Alas, that was not to be as she had other plans. In an instant, she took off in the direction of the Leaf.

Jiraiya observed the behaviour and the moment she left, he asked, "That was Uchiha Sayuri, the younger sister of Itachi am I right?"

Naruto nodded. "She is. In fact, she's my teammate." The Toad Sage's perverted side returned. "She's actually quite hot. I would totally bang her if she was older," he said with a lecherous grin.

The Uzumaki turned to face his sensei, who noticed a lack of reply but saw his right forearm glowing orange with a rapid buildup of Asura's chakra. The glare the blond sent him was enough to burn holes through his skull. "Oops. Sorry Naruto, I didn't know that you liked her."

The Uzumaki blushed. "It's not what you think." Jiraiya chuckled. "Eh, I know that expression when I see it. You're in love, kid! Just like Minato and Kushina. Allow me to teach you, for I am an expert in this field."

Naruto scoffed. "Enough bullshit. You're not even married. What could you teach me, Ero-sennin?"

Jiraiya sighed. "Many things, kid, many things."

Monday, 21st July

It had been 4 days since the clash with the Akatsuki duo. Though Naruto had ample time to work on his new abilities and even create storage seals for his swords as they were inconvenient to carry around, they still had yet to locate the Slug Princess. Currently, the master and student were in Tanzaku-gai (Tanzaku Town), a town about half a day's journey from the Leaf.

Festivities were ongoing in the village, another possible hotspot for Tsunade. They entered a packed bar in the early evening in an attempt to look for the sannin as apart from gambling, she had another vice: drinking.

With Sayuri

The Uchiha had been torturing herself for the past four days with training so intense that she refused to stop until she passed out. Under Indra's instruction, she had forcefully and significantly increased the potential of her dōjutsu, true to her prodigious nature.

Sayuri had gained mastery over a few jutsus and even created one of her own… an S-rank in theory but she yet to put it to practice.

She smirked as she donned a new outfit for yet another day of training. Indra had certainly been right about increasing her power. She loved the taste of it, and it was bound to be sufficient to slay her brother in the future.

Her thoughts strayed to her blond teammate. Soon, she would be leaving in the pursuit of her brother. It came sooner than she had imagined, and her plan to not cause any heartbreak had questionable progress. The fact that the village's elders were about to press the CRA on her wasn't helpful at all. If it came down to it… she would not show emotion.

With Naruto

A blond with pigtails and her black haired assistant were sitting at a table when they noticed the newcomers. "Oh Kami, Konoha-nin. And even Jiraiya's here. He's definitely here for me," muttered Tsunade.

"Tsunade-shishō, you should probably sober yourself up before meeting him," Shizune, her assistant, urged. In a matter of seconds, Jiraiya's eyes swept across the bar and caught sight of his former teammate.

Together with his student, the two walked to their table. Tsunade looked up and set her cup of sake down. "What are you here for this time, Jiraiya?" the Slug Princess asked as they sat opposite to her and ordered some food to eat.

"I'll cut straight to the point. Sarutobi-sensei has stepped down after Orochimaru attacked the village, Tsunade-hime. They're asking you to be the Hokage," said Jiraiya. Tsunade replied, "So I heard from the man himself. He came to me with his arms' chakra network destroyed by a powerful fūinjutsu, asking me to heal them. Someone did quite a number on that snake."

Jiraiya smirked. "That was my student, Uzumaki Naruto who is here along with me today." "Greetings, Tsunade-hime," said the blond.

"Uzumaki Naruto?" She raised an eyebrow. "He's the Kyūbi's jinchūriki, isn't he?" Jiraiya nodded.

"Pfft. What a waste for the Yondaime to give his life saving the village from the Nine Tails. What why would anyone want the Hokage's job? My grandfather, Hashirama, my granduncle Tobirama and the Yondaime all died while bearing the title of Hokage. Sarutobi-sensei was also close to dying against Orochimaru. Why would someone waste their lives to protect those of people you don't even know? Only a fool would want that job," Tsunade remarked.

Without warning, the chopsticks in Naruto's hands snapped. They were metal chopsticks.

Trying to restrain his anger, the blond said, "Tsunade-hime… do not disrespect the title of Hokage or the men who have held that post and gave their lives to the village to protect it. It's frankly disgusting how you desecrate the title of Hokage when you yourself aren't in any position to do so: a drunk, wayward 50 year old woman transformed as a 20 year old to maintain a youthful appearance, and to top it off, with a gambling addiction despite sucking at it." On their search, Naruto had learnt much about the Slug Princess from Jiraiya. It did not paint a very pleasant image of her.

A giant tic mark appeared on Tsunade's forehead. "What did you say, brat?!" she shouted as she swung her fist at his face.

Naruto's right hand shot up and caught her fist, stopping it from connecting just inches from his face. "Now, now, Tsunade-hime," Naruto said, his voice going cold. His tone eerily reminded the other occupants of the table of Orochimaru.

"You definitely don't want to start an affray in a bar. What will you do if you break the tables, chairs and cups? With your debts, you'd hardly be able to pay for the damage," stated Naruto.

The floor outside the bar burst open and out came a Wood Clone. "Let's take this outside, shall we?" With that, Naruto executed a sealless Substitution with his clone, bringing the sannin and him out into the warm sunset.

Shizune and Jiraiya quickly rushed outside in an attempt to stop the fight, but were too late. Tsunade growled at the Uzumaki as she cracked her knuckles. How dare he insult her?

"Gaki, I will wipe the floor with you for insulting me!" "A little petty, aren't you? To take your anger out on a genin just because he spoke the truth. No matter, you are welcome to try. Personally, I do not think that you are worthy of the position the village has chosen you for, regardless of whatever strength you possess. But even if I don't like it, I will still have to bring you back, even if I have to drag you, Tsunade-hime," Naruto spat.

"How about a wager? If I lose, I will go back with you all, and you will even get this," Tsunade offered, pointing at the Shodai's necklace hung around her neck. "If I win, however, you will give me all your money and promise that no Konoha-nin will come after me ever again!"

Shizune began, "Shishō, please don't do this! You can't-" "Shut up, Shizune! This is my fight! I can't wait to put this brat into his place. Come!" Tsunade incited.

Naruto took a deep breath. The moment he exhaled, he disappeared. A loud boom resounded from the point of impact where he threw a punch; the sannin had just narrowly managed to bring up her arms in a cross guard.

Tsunade took the hit and spun around, launching a low kick. Naruto jumped up and over her shoulders, handspringing and landing behind her. She spun around and threw a punch with her left hand.

Naruto stepped aside and gripped her forearm with both hands before sliding one quickly across the length of her arm and towards her neck in a chop.

Tsunade's right hand shot up and stopped the chop from connecting, grabbing his left hand as well. With both hands secured, she flung him around to the other side and plunged her chakra-enhanced foot into his stomach, causing him to fly twenty metres away.

He tumbled across the floor before rolling to a kneel. His hand reached for his ribs to assess the damage; six of them were broken from the immediate trauma of her kick. However, they were already mending quickly and within seconds, he stood up normally as if nothing had happened.

Tsunade noticed this and her eyes went wide. As a skilled medic, she knew that a blow like the one she caused should have completely shattered his ribcage into pieces, and he shouldn't have been able to stand after such fatal impact like that. This kid was really something else; to possess such an advanced healing factor was reminiscent of that of her late grandfather, the Shinobi no Kami.

The sannin was pissed off, something Jiraiya could clearly see from the gigantic amount of chakra amassed within her right fist. She was about to unleash a technique that could end a life.

Naruto's right fist was the same, glowing bright with orange chakra. "Let's end this, Tsunade-hime." "Agreed."

Simultaneously, the two rushed at each other, tearing up the street as they ran. The distance closed rapidly and within seconds, their fists collided.

Orange chakra clashed with the blue of Tsunade's and fought to consume each other. Naruto roared and pumped more of Asura's chakra into his fist, causing it to overpower Tsunade's would-be fatal punch.

The Senju was thrown back by a powerful explosion, rocketing into the rock wall of the small town two hundred metres away.

The Uzumaki's hand grew dim as he panted from exhausting that much chakra. Inwardly, Jiraiya was happy that his apprentice had been victorious.

Tree trunks and branches grew out of the floor near to the wall and grabbed Tsunade, gradually rolling her back to where the three were. She was still concious, something that was unsurprising given her status as the most powerful kunoichi in the Elemental Nations along with the fact that she was the best iryō-nin in the world.

"You…" "Tsunade-hime, I do wish for you to concede and come back with us. What the village needs right now is a strong leader to bring it from its current destruction and corruption at the hands of the Council. You can be that person. I, a mere genin and 12 3/4 year old, can understand that, so why not you, a mature, 50 year old and powerful medic regarded as the strongest kunoichi in the world? Life may have treated you harshly by terminating the lives of those you loved or deemed precious to you, but regardless, they can still live on in your memories. Their hopes and dreams don't die just because they do; instead, they are handed down to the next generation to fulfil for them. I, for one, would like to hold that position of Hokage one day, and you can just hold it for me in the meantime, alright? Nawaki and Dan couldn't be any happier if you fulfilled their dreams for them."

The blond stretched his hand. Reluctantly, the Slug Princess took it and was pulled up into a standing position. When she looked at Naruto, she was reminded of her younger brother Nawaki, and her lover Dan, both who wished to become Hokage but died before they could fulfil it. Her voice became one of determination.

"Alright, Uzumaki Naruto. I will take the position of Godaime for the people I love," Tsunade vowed. Naruto turned to Jiraiya and flashed him a smile as he let go of Tsunade's hand.

"Thank you for being understanding, Tsunade-hime," said Naruto. "As for dealing with Orochimaru… when do you have to answer him?"

"Tomorrow afternoon. He will return for my answer and does not want me to have any companions. He promised that he would revive Dan and Nawaki in exchange for healing his arms, after which he would use his regained power to attack Konoha."

"You do know you can't do that, right? Even if I didn't know Dan or Nawaki, I'm sure they wouldn't want to be brought back at the cost of Konoha's safety. Besides… the Edo Tensei really just uses a human sacrifice as a vessel for the spirit of the dead, and Orochimaru can suppress their will and control their actions. As an iryō-nin, I'm sure you are aware of the sanctity of life and know that it is unethical to use a human sacrifice or bring back the dead, AND especially use a human sacrifice to bring back the dead," Naruto deadpanned.

"Yeah," Tsunade replied sadly, before she looked up. A vicious grin hung on her face as she declared, "I will blow Orochimaru to bits." Naruto laughed. "No doubt."

Tuesday, 22 July

The sun had found its place in the sky, signalling the passing of noon. The world's most powerful kunoichi stepped onto the field that she had agreed to meet with Orochimaru at.

The snake sannin was already there with his assistant Kabuto, smiling as they noticed the Slug Princess approaching without any companions. They took it as a sign of her agreement and cooperation.

"Now, Tsunade-hime, I assume you have agreed to our terms. Heal my arms, and I will bring back your loved ones," Orochimaru said.

Tsunade nodded and walked towards him, her hands lighting up with chakra. Just as she reached him, Kabuto suddenly grabbed his master and leapt back.

"Orochimaru-sama, she has killing intent and does not intend to heal you at all!" Kabuto warned. A frown now adorned the snake sannin's face.

"Now, this is most unpleasant," Orochimaru hissed. "Heh.… you think I'll forgive you for wrecking the village? I will be Senju Tsunade, Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure! And today, I shall execute a traitor," declared Tsunade.

Kabuto jumped forth to attack the sannin, conjuring chakra scalpels to execute a precise assault. As she ducked, the Slug Princess commented, "So you're an iryō-nin too, huh? First time I've seen chakra scalpels used offensively."

"Indeed. I'm honoured for your acknowledgment, Tsunade-sama," replied Kabuto as he contacted two of her tendons, causing internal injuries which caused her to fall to the floor.

"Tsk. You're weaker than I thought, Tsunade-sama," Kabuto remarked with a sneer. With a sudden burst of energy, she sprung up and slapped him with enough force to throw him away.

When he tried to stand up, he only found that he couldn't. When he tried to move his right arm, his left thigh tensed. The same applied to his left shoulder and right foot. "I've underestimated her. I have to remember that she's still one of the Densetsu no Sannin," thought Kabuto.

Tsunade smirked as she stood up, applying the Shōsen Jutsu (Mystical Palm Jutsu) to herself. "Still convinced that I'm weak?" Tsunade asked rhetorically as she strode towards Kabuto.

The Oto-nin's nervous system had went haywire due to the raiton chakra Tsunade had sent into his body during her slap, resulting in the scrambling of signals that would have normally allowed him to control his own body parts at will. But with time and concentration, Kabuto could relearn his body's movements by knowing what thought moves which part. And that's exactly what he did.

Gradually, he stood up. "How did he recover so quickly?" thought Tsunade. "There's a reason I'm Orochimaru-sama's right hand man, Tsunade-sama," boasted Kabuto as he grabbed a kunai from his pouch.

Just as Tsunade was about to reach him, he stabbed his own hand with his kunai, splattering blood all over her face. Due to her haemophobia, Tsunade started to tremble.

"So your fear of blood is true… I would have had greater respect for a fellow iryō-nin, especially one renowned as the world's best… but look at how pathetic you are. A medic, afraid of blood?" Kabuto scorned. "I'm afraid I'll have to subdue you and force you to heal Orochimaru-sama!"

Just as he was about to strike the Slug Princess, an orange flash appeared before him and blitzed him with a punch at the speed of light, sending him flying back to his master.

Kabuto spat out the blood from his mouth as well as some of the teeth that came dislodged from that punch. "I-It's you…" the assistant said in disbelief. What the hell was Uzumaki Naruto doing here?

Two figures came to his side - Jiraiya and Shizune. The black haired woman quickly wiped the blood off of Tsunade's face.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Orochimaru greeted in a raspy voice, which sounded like a knife scraping across stone. "How are your arms, Orochimaru?" taunted the Uzumaki.

"Why thank you for the concern… kill him Kabuto!" "Hai!" yelled Kabuto as he lunged at the blond.

The man thrust his chakra scalpel into Naruto's chest, piercing through it easily and severing his heart arteries. The Uzumaki smirked, before grabbing and restraining Kabuto's outstretched hand.

Naruto's skin turned brown as he transformed into a small tree. "What?" Kabuto barely had the time to gasp just before the original burst out from the ground and delivered an uppercut just as he dispelled the tree, causing him to crash at the feet of his master.

"Looks like I have no choice… aid me, Kabuto!" ordered Orochimaru, who then rolled up his left sleeve which revealed what Naruto recognised as summoning seal.

Upon noticing what he was about to do, Tsunade and Jiraiya bit their thumbs and drew blood just as he did. Kabuto pumped as much chakra as he could into Orochimaru's seal while the other two sannin flashed through five hand seals.

Simultaneously, the three sannin intoned, "Ninpō: Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Smoke erupted from the three summoning arrays, revealing three huge summons when it cleared.

Jiraiya had summoned Gamabunta, while Tsunade had summoned Katsuyu, a slug which was her personal summon. On Orochimaru's side was a giant purple snake with yellow, slitted eyes.

The snake looked at the toad and the slug before saying to Orochimaru, "You should have a good reason for summoning me to fight Gamabunta and Katsuyu… I'd better receive a hundred human sacrifices after this!" the reptile hissed.

Orochimaru smirked and replied, "Don't worry Manda, I'll make this interesting for you." Gamabunta drew his tanto and took a puff from his pipe. "Oh boy, it's the Three-Way Summoning Deadlock again. It's been a long while, Katsuyu."

"Yes Gamabunta-san, and I can't say I look forward to fighting Manda-san but well… here goes!" the slug replied as soon as the snake charged in a speedy slither one wouldn't expect from something his size.

The Toad Sage flashed through hand seals as he requested, "Bunta, give me some oil!" The toad chief prepared his Gamayudan (Toad Oil Bullet) just as Jiraiya complete the sequence for the Fireball Jutsu.

"Katon: Gamayu Endan (Fire Style: Toad Oil Flamethrower)!" Jiraiya yelled as he expelled the fire chakra he had kneaded in his lungs. It joined the stream of oil that Gamabunta pumped out of his mouth, which served as an accelerant to make the flames a firestorm.

It engulfed Manda, but everybody who knew a snake knew that it wouldn't die so easily. Naruto detected the presence of the snake underground, and could sense that it was about to attack the slug. "Katsuyu-sama, watch out!" Naruto warned.

A second later, Manda burst out from the ground and sunk its fangs into Katsuyu's "neck", forgetting the fact that the slug had no neck whatsoever. With her Katsuyu Daibunretsu (Slug Great Division), Tsunade's summon divided into hundreds of smaller slugs, allowing her to escape Manda's grip.

Naruto weaved some hand seals for a Mokuton jutsu. After all, Wood Style was known as the one nature transformation that could subdue beasts of all kind, and not for no reason at all - the trees produced had the ability to sap chakra from their prisoners at the user's will.

"Mokuton: Hotei no Jutsu!" Giant hands emerged from the ground and grabbed hold of Manda. Knowing how slippery a snake could be, Naruto decided not to take any chances and mixed some natural energy with his chakra to initiate a special sealing technique.

As he placed his hands in the Ram hand seal, orange pigment appeared around his eyes. "Senpō: Myōjinmon (Sage Art: Gate Of The Great God)!"

Out of nowhere, ten huge red torii manifested and fell from the sky, slamming down on the colossal snake and pinning him further.

Manda hissed in anger. "Orochimaru, you'll pay for this humilia-" He was interrupted when Naruto slapped a hand on his scaly purple skin and caused jutsu-shiki to spread out from the point of contact. "Keiyaku Fūin!" Naruto called, applying a Contract Seal which severed their summoning contract.

"Urgh!" Orochimaru cried, wincing as he knelt on the floor. Pain shot through his left arm as the summoning seal was forcefully erased.

"Let's end this once and for all… Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Naruto yelled as he slammed his hand on the ground. "Ya ne, Kyūbi!" A giant summoning array spread out from his palm, much bigger than that of the three beasts summoned before.

Chakra smoke of epic proportions burst from space-time as the mightiest of the bijū was summoned outside of his seal. When it cleared, everyone except Naruto was terrified as the fox was exactly as fearsome as they expected.

He had thick orange fur, claws and fangs as huge as ramen stands as well as piercing, slitted red eyes which held nothing but hatred and contempt for those who stood before him. He was a titanic being, easily towering over the other three summons and being ten times their height and size.

Could you imagine being in the presence of the personification of Destruction itself? A beast that with a single swipe of any one of his nine tails, could induce tsunamis, and roars that produced tornadoes as well as a stomp that would rock the very earth with earthquakes. To top it off, a single Tailed Beast Ball from him was all it took to change the landscape into something new. It was no wonder that almost everyone there was shivering in Kurama's presence, no thanks to the attack on Konoha about 13 years ago which pretty much cemented the Kyūbi's reputation as a killing machine capable of devastation beyond belief.

"Ike, Kurama!" incited Naruto. Red and blue orbs of chakra materialised in the air in front of the colossal fox, converging to form a purple sphere that increased exponentially in size as seconds passed.

Kurama supercharged it with his chakra, forcing the Bijū Dama to expand to thrice its current size. Though Manda couldn't sweat, he was sure as hell doing the beasts' equivalent.

"Orochimaru-sama, this is bad… we have to get away now," warned Kabuto. As Kurama compressed and swallowed the Tailed Beast Ball, the right hand man quickly formed hand seals for a long distance teleportation technique that would bring him and his master away from the blast zone.

To his horror, he realised that he was out of chakra. He found that he had none left to knead, having spent quite a lot in transferring enough chakra to summon Manda earlier. And now, they would be doomed.

Kurama opened his mouth.

All it took was a second for the highly-compressed beam of energy to obliterate everything in front of it. Orochimaru, Kabuto and Manda were all goners.

Jiraiya paled at the display of power; he was certainly glad that the Kyūbi was on their side. "Thanks, Kurama!" said Naruto with a smile as he patted the kitsune on his head like he was an overgrown plushy.

The fox growled. "I do not appreciate being treated like a toy, Naruto. Time for me to sleep." With that, the Kyūbi dispelled in a second burst of smoke.

Naruto approached Tsunade with a grin. "I believe you have something which now belongs to me, Tsunade-baachan," he said cheekily.

The Slug Princess was so happy that she had gotten rid of a threat that she decided to let it slide for once. Tsunade reached for her necklace and untied it.

She walked behind Naruto and secured it around his neck. As she did, she said, "I'm bequeathing this to you as a way of passing down Dan and Nawaki's dreams in the hope that one day, you will be able to fulfil them. Someday, you'd better take the hat from me gaki, got it?"

Naruto nodded right before she ruffled his hair. This would be the last time she would entrust the Shodai's necklace to anyone anymore. Nawaki had once wore it till he died, then Tsunade gave it to Dan before he too, died. The only person who seemed to be unaffected by this curse was Tsunade. The fact that she chose to put faith in hopes and dreams one more time and entrust the necklace to Naruto meant something significant, which did not go unnoticed by Shizune. The assistant was very happy for her sensei, and was also grateful to the blond for changing her teacher's mindset ever since the death of her uncle Dan had changed her.

"Let's head back to the inn," suggested Jiraiya, to which he received nods of assent. Naruto was now pondering his next problem after finding Tsunade and killing Orochimaru: he had to convince the Godaime Hokage-to-be to delay Sayuri's promotion and put his into effect, as well as propose to the Uchiha as soon as possible.

"Today is 22nd July, which means that tomorrow…" Naruto's eyes widened. The 23rd of July was Sayuri's birthday. What a coincidence! He supposed as part of his birthday gift to her, he could pop the question and it wouldn't be too awkward then.

Now, he had to acquire a birthday gift along with an engagement ring before returning to Konoha, which was about 6 hours away.

"Excuse me, I have a something to get, I'll see you all back at the inn in an hour alright?" asked Naruto. Jiraiya raised an eyebrow but nodded.

The blond took off and went into town. What should he get her? He knew that usually, kunoichi - especially her - would prefer to have more practical equipment such as kunai pouches as compared to aesthetic gifts. But to show his love for her, he had to treat her differently from every other girl in the world and get her a special gift that would be aesthetic in nature to show that he treated her as girl rather than a kunoichi for that moment, especially when he was going to propose.

It was a gamble but it would be worth the shot. He just hope that it wouldn't end with him being castrated. Naruto laughed to himself as he walked towards a jeweller - after all, he might as well as get the birthday gift along with the ring.

As the blond transformed into a man and entered the store, he was contemplating whether he should get a necklace or a pair of earrings. He decided that though she was a girl, she was still a kunoichi and a pair of stud earrings wouldn't get in the way as compared to a necklace that would flail during movement. It would also increase her chances of accepting the gift though it remained aesthetically pleasing.

"Hi Sir, how can I help you?" asked one of the staff cheerfully. He looked at her and said, "I would like to get a pair of earrings as well as an engagement ring."

The staff's eyes widened. "Alright, follow me." She led him to a glass case containing matching sets of earrings and an engagement ring. There were various colours, but Naruto knew Sayuri well enough to know she preferred black and red.

He relayed his request to the shop assistant, who took out one such set. They were a beautiful pair of stud earrings, with square rubies bordered by black metal. The engagement ring itself consisted of three grey bands studded with small, clear diamonds as accent stones while the top had a red diamond elegantly surrounded by black prongs.

"How much are these?" asked Naruto. "2 million ryo, Sir," came the reply. The staff member was looking at him hopefully, knowing that the price was rather steep.

Naruto smiled as he took out the necessary money and placed it on the counter. "I'll have it." Happily, the shop attendant placed the set in small boxes and placed them in a bag before handing them over to her blond customer.

"Thank you for your business Sir. And good luck for your proposal!" said the shop attendant as Naruto left with a smirk on his face.

"Whoever marries him is a lucky girl," thought the woman dreamily, unaware that the person she just served was merely 12 and soon 13.

Naruto got back to the inn and met up with the other three, packing up their stuff before leaving for the Leaf. Along the way, they chatted, with Naruto recounting his life story and highlighting his requests to the incoming Hokage.

Shizune was starstruck by his love life and gave a squeal when he said he planned on proposing tomorrow. "You sound like a very interesting person, Sayuri," thought Tsunade as they neared the village.

At the guard house, Izumo tensed as he recognised the people approaching the gate. "It's Tsunade-sama!" said Izumo to Kotetsu, who looked up from his book.

As they walked down the streets, the group received numerous stares and murmurs. "Jiraiya-sama and Tsunade-sama!" "Why are they with that kid?" "Tsunade-sama is back!"

They ignored them and quickly got to the hospital ward where Hiruzen was. They discussed the transition of power, while Naruto was frankly a lot more concerned about his proposal tomorrow. Despite what he told himself earlier, proposing was easier said than done. Just thinking about it made him nervous.

Finally, he returned to the Uzumaki residence, which was now spotless. Once he unpacked his things, Naruto prepared to go to sleep.

Sitting on the bed, he stared at the jewellery boxes in front of him. A part of him was really afraid as a proposal was tantamount to a confession of his love. Any boy confessing would definitely be scared of rejection.

This was made ten times worse by his horrible childhood, where he had never been loved unconditionally nor did he open his heart to someone. Baring his feelings made him feel vulnerable, more so than any other person confessing. It did not require much explanation to deduce that Naruto was scared, not just of rejection but also losing a friend and a teammate.

Even if she accepted because she had to in order to evade the CRA, Naruto knew that if Sayuri didn't like him, their marriage would be pointless as she wouldn't be happy at all.

Kurama growled in annoyance at the horrendous number of thoughts running through his head. Asura sighed and spoke up, "Listen Naruto-kun, love is not something you can use logic and reasoning to explain or make decisions. If you like her, than that's that. Nothing else should stop you from expressing it. Now, go sleep. You need rest if you are to be engaged tomorrow."

Naruto heard what Asura said, and though he was still thinking about it, he decided to give up and go to sleep. His ancestor was right, and he really needed that rest.

The blond delicately placed the jewellery boxes onto his nightstand, and with that, he hit the pillow. Before he knew it, sleep engulfed his fatigued body and he was out like a light.

Wednesday, 23 July

Naruto woke up bright and early to prepare for his undertaking. Sayuri, on the other hand, decided to sleep in for her birthday.

The blond put on a new outfit for his proposal: an orange shirt with a black jacket and black hand warmers accenting it. Navy blue pants and a red sash securing the jacket completed the outfit. He sealed both swords into the storage seals he had inscribed onto his hand warmers earlier during his trip with Jiraiya. Checking his shuriken pouch and kunai holster, he ensured they were stocked before he finally left the house with his gifts in hand.

Asura mused that Naruto was merely distracting himself with the daily routine of gearing up as he didn't yet possess the courage to confess and propose. He sighed. Would Naruto really be able to do it?

Uchiha Compound

After travelling all the way to the other side of the village, the blond finally arrived at Sayuri's residence. He pushed the two flaps at the entrance apart and walked along the rocky path that led to the central house - the clan head and his immediate family's abode.

Naruto stopped at the front door and took a deep breath before shouting, "Sayuri-chan, are you awake?"

The Uzumaki could sense her chakra fluctuating as she woke up, and got out of her bedroom. "I was woken up by you, but yeah I'll be there in a minute," deadpanned Sayuri as she quickly fixed her hair before opening the door.

"Yo Whiskers-kun, why are you here?" asked Sayuri with a yawn. Naruto was just stunned by her sleeping clothes. She was dressed merely in a periwinkle romper, so sexy that it made him blush but he tried to suppress it. Quickly, he forced his mind to return to its train of thought.

"Happy birthday, Sayuri-chan!" said Naruto with a smile. "Thank you." A smirk then formed on her lips as she asked playfully, "Did you get me a gift?"

The Uzumaki nodded and brought out the box holding her earrings. "That's all?" questioned Sayuri, eyeing the small black box. "Yep." His hesitation before replying did not go unnoticed.

"Thanks, Whiskers-kun!" she said happily, hugging the blond. Both faces were flushed, but neither could see it as they weren't facing each other.

A million thoughts a minute raced through Naruto's head. The proposal… what about it? Now was the time! He felt his mouth going dry, his throat parched. His palms started to sweat and got clammy when he drew back from the hug.

The blond's mind went blank completely. Sayuri turned back and said, "See you around then." With that, she closed the door.

Inwardly, she cursed herself. What was she thinking? Why did she hug him? The Uchiha was ashamed of herself for not being to control her emotions.

Meanwhile, Naruto was already walking away from the Uchiha compound, disappointed at himself for losing courage at the most important moment. Kurama was berating the Uzumaki for his cowardice, and letting his anxiety get the best of him. And while Asura had more sympathy for his incarnate, his view was essentially the same as the kitsune's. Dejected, the blond made his way back to the Uzumaki compound.

With Sayuri

Once her embarassment had evaporated, she decided to open her gift and see what he got her. The Uchiha smiled at seeing a pair of earrings. They reminded her of her childhood, back when her mother brought her to get her ears pierced during one of her birthdays.

After the clan massacre, she had stopped wearing earrings as they reminded her of the event but now, she was solely reminded of the good times. It brought her memory back to that day when she had first met Naruto, and she smiled fondly as she stroked the earrings. Finally, she decided to put them on after brushing her teeth and getting into her usual combat gear.

Out of nowhere, she saw shadows flashing by her shoji screen. Instantly, her guard went up as she crept to the door. In one fluid movement, the girl slid open the door.

A figure cloaked in yellow with a mask resembling the ANBU stabbed her in the stomach with a tantō, only for her to melt into nothingness. "Genjutsu…" the operative uttered. "Taichō! She's outside in the backyard," reported one of his subordinates, who wore black cloaks.

The man nodded and all ten intruders ran in the direction of the field. Standing there awaiting them was none other than the Uchiha scion herself, dōjutsu primed and ready for a fight.

She scowled. "ANBU? You better have a good reason for coming here, much less stabbing me on my birthday." The man in the yellow cloak, seemingly the leader, replied in a monotone, "Uchiha Sayuri, come with us peacefully. Danzō-sama demands your presence."

"No, they aren't ANBU," Sayuri thought. "ANBU report only to the Hokage, not anyone else and the Sandaime certainly wouldn't order his men to stab me."

The Uchiha replied, "Stabbing me doesn't seem like a very good way to get me to come with you." "Uchiha Sayuri, we have orders to neutralise and take you by force if we have to."

"Hn. Try me," Sayuri said. Wordlessly, the leader swung his hand forward, the universal signal to launch an attack. The ten operatives lunged at her in mid-air.

"Time to try this technique," thought Sayuri as she slammed her hands together in the Tiger hand seal. She compressed as much katon chakra as possible and pumped it out after modifying its shape with shape transformation.

"Katon: Gōryūka no Jutsu (Fire Style: Great Dragon Flame Jutsu)!" The Uchiha expelled the powerful blast of dragon head-shaped fire upwards at them, and as expected they avoided it by jumping away. She willed more to emerge and take off at them, giving them a hard time avoiding it all.

Eventually, the attacks ceased but all the ten operatives were still alive. "You have poor aim, Uchiha Sayuri," remarked the leader.

The girl smirked as the sky darkened. "Isn't it a little presumptuous to think I was aiming for you all?" The heat produced by her techniques had warmed up the atmosphere, creating ascending air currents which formed cumulonimbi in the sky.

Thunder rolled across the heavens, bringing rain along with it to the land.

With Naruto

A sudden sense of foreboding hit him hard just as he reached the Uzumaki compound's front gates. How had the sunny weather become stormy so quickly?

With Sayuri

"Chidori!" Her left hand sparked and crackled with raiton chakra. The leader emotionlessly replied, "We will bring you into custody."

The ten men began to walk towards the Uchiha as a purple humanoid wrapped around her. The moment they were close to her, she announced, "The name of this jutsu is Kirin."

She raised her hand to the sky as if she was making an offering. Seemingly on cue, lightning gathered from the sky and manifested into a collosal dragonoid creature. When it roared, thunderclaps boomed. Even the operatives, who were trained not to have emotions, felt fear at the terrifying sight.

"And now, begone with the thunderclap."

Sayuri swung her hand down at the intruders and sealed their fate. The celestial beast shot out of the clouds and headed straight for the trespassers at 1/1000th of a second, and didn't even stand a chance against the S-rank jutsu.

Within an instant, the natural power of the heavens obliterated all the men, vaporising them. The surrounding parts of the Uchiha clan compound had been reduced to rubble as well.

With Naruto

The Uzumaki was shocked as he saw the huge lightning beast form in the sky, and even more so when it shot down towards the Uchiha clan compound, producing a gigantic explosion.

Immediately, he knew that Sayuri was in trouble and swiftly ran towards her house. Once again, he cursed the long distance between their residences.

With Sayuri

Sayuri dispelled her Susanoo and quickly returned to her house. She was certain her S-rank technique had drawn the attention of many in the village, including reinforcements for the Danzō-led ANBU.

The Uchiha realised that the higher-ups had finally decided to come after her for the CRA. The time to leave was now, or else she would be bound by the CRA and wouldn't be able to avenge her clan.

After making sure she left nothing valuable behind, she exited her compound swiftly and made her way to the village gates.

She rushed past the guards, merely giving the two chūnin a cursory glance. They were about to stop her when they collasped onto their desks and fell into a deep sleep.

With Naruto

He approached the Uchiha compound and noted that a large part of it had been destroyed, most probably by that creature he saw earlier.

"Sayuri!" Naruto called repeatedly in vain, receiving no response. He ran through the houses but found no one. Closing his eyes, Naruto focused on detecting her chakra signature.

He did not receive any signal at all. The Uzumaki grunted and further increased his range, extending it beyond the village. He gasped as her signature registered on his sensory range. Why was she out of the village?

Naruto wasted no time and sprinted after the Uchiha. Sayuri was pretty quick too, already passing by the neighbouring towns and forests.

The blond chased her through barren stretches of land and more forests before she finally stopped at the border between the Land Of Fire and the Land Of Sound.

The border consisted of a mountain range and forests on each side, with only a single passage through - a giant lake the size of the Leaf, trailing down a waterfall into a valley. On both sides of the waterfall, there was a tall statue - one of Hashirama on the Land Of Fire side and one of Madara on the Land Of Sound's side, symbolising his defection.

Both statues had their hands in the Seal Of Confrontation, facing each other as a memorial of their battle here which shaped what was known as the Valley Of The End. When Naruto finally chased Sayuri here, she was already on the head of the Madara statue.

"Wait…!" Naruto shouted. The Uchiha stopped in her tracks and turned back to see her favourite blond. As expected, he had chased her all the way here without rest despite her head start. Naruto was slightly surprised to see her wearing the earrings he had purchased.

"What is it, Naruto?" she questioned without emotion. "Why are you leaving the village Sayuri?" asked Naruto in desperation.

"Isn't it obvious? I will become a chūnin as soon as Tsunade promotes me, and will be bound by the CRA. Even if I don't become chūnin, it is inevitable that I turn 18. Just now, Danzō's men attacked me and tried to bring me in. Did you expect me to just sit there and give in to them?"

Naruto faltered, cursing himself for not asking earlier. "No… but I do have a solution." The blond looked her in the eyes and at once, his emotions overwhelmed his body. It was now or never.

Dropping to one knee, he asked, "Uchiha Sayuri, will you marry me?"

Author's Notes:  
Thus ends my longest chapter so far, at 8901 words! This cliffhanger is probably even worse than chapter 13's hahaha. Next chapter will take quite a while to produce as I have some duties to attend to so do be patient! Rate and review :D

Until tomorrow,  
Ja Ne


	16. Shūmatsu no Tani

Asura's Transmigrant

 **Update (read this if you've read this chapter before and SPOILER ALERT if you haven't, just skip):**

Okay so I made a couple of changes to this chapter, it should make much more sense now emotionally (explaining Sayuri's rationale) although the physical outcome will not be affected. Sorry but I'm not done with the next chapter yet, it will be up soon so no flames please.

Chapter 16: Shūmatsu no Tani

Previously:

Dropping to one knee, he asked, "Uchiha Sayuri, will you marry me?"

Sayuri was taken aback. Internally, many emotions stirred, conflicting with each other. Eventually, her love for Naruto was overpowered by the desire for vengeance which fuelled her drive, making her see what was necessary to be done.

"No... why would I do that? I hate you for making me weak, and to me, you're just a demon," Sayuri lied, though every word made her guilty and left a bitter taste in her mouth. She hated doing this to Naruto. The blue-eyed boy that she had come to love certainly deserved better than her, wasting his time on her was pointless and she desperately hoped to throw him off.

The Uzumaki's eyes widened as he stood up slowly and kept the box with the ring. Each word she had said pierced his heart, stabbing it worse than the Chiseigan ever could. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes, and they finally did.

Kurama growled and spoke, "She's lying through her teeth, that bloody Uchiha. See reason, Naruto. Use my Negative Emotions Sensing and you can tell right away." Though Naruto wasn't in the mood to do so, he did it to entertain him. Perhaps, a small part of him really hoped that she was lying.

And just as the kitsune had said, he sensed intense guilt and the desire to deceive present in her. There was something else, another emotion there hiding beneath all that but it was suppressed and he was unable to recognise it with his Negative Emotions Sensing no matter how much he probed. So much for being an empath.

"You idiot… that feeling is love," Kurama spelt out plainly for his container. Naruto was puzzled at first. Love? Why did she love him?

Asura, sensing his confusion, decided to jog his memory. "It started when you saved her from the bullies who destroyed the sandcastle the two of you built together many years ago… remember how she saved you from getting bisected by Zabuza's sword? That wasn't a coincidence."

"Furthermore, that night when you went out into the forests to train because you were angered by Inari, you fell asleep from exhaustion. Who do you think brought you back into the house, afraid you would catch a cold or even worse, be vulnerable to attack? It was Sayuri. She even kissed your cheek after tucking you in bed. Later, when that girl with the ice kekkei genkai attacked you, it was Sayuri who took your place. She may have passed it all off as a teammate's duty, but you know that's just a cover. She most certainly is in love with you, Uzumaki Naruto-kun."

Horribly, the truth dawned on him. So she had loved him all along? But that left another question unanswered.

"Sayuri… I know you're lying… I can sense your emotions, remember?" said Naruto. "It may seem weird, but I know you like me."

Sayuri was stunned. How did he know? She recovered quickly, and upon further thinking, decided that it was time to spill the beans. Sighing, she replied reluctantly, "You're right. I do love you. Your never ending kindness and brightness never ceased to bring a smile to my face, even after my clan's massacre."

"Then… why? Why did you reject me and lie to me just now?" asked Naruto sadly.

The Uchiha paused to think for a moment before deciding to come clean completely. She confessed, "It's because of my brother. I wished to avenge my clan by killing him and restoring the clan's honour. Because of that, I knew I had to get stronger and one day, I would leave the village to carry out my duty, and I didn't want to leave you heartbroken. So I actively avoided you in the Academy… noticed how I tried to be your enemy? But then I became your teammate and inevitably, we got closer. A part of me fell even deeper in love and though I tried to pass it off as a teammate's duty to protect you, you still fell for me anyways."

"My plan to protect you by distancing us two failed as you can see… Now we're here at an impasse. We both love each other and you want me to come back with you and marry you, but as much as I'd like that, I detest the village's CRA."

Naruto frowned. "I'm under the CRA because I'm the last Uzumaki. I found a loophole where two clan heads marrying each other can bypass it, which is why I proposed to you other than just as an expression of my love."

Sayuri thought, "That will give me a solid plan to fall back on when I return to the village. And all the more, I should leave it to kill Itachi before they restrict me to my duties as a housewife."

"Even if the CRA is taken care of, I will still have to proceed and kill my brother," declared Sayuri.

"Then why not I come with you?" Naruto offered. He wasn't really thinking things through - realistically, that couldn't happen due to his own ties to the village. But right now, he was desperate and would say whatever it took to get her back with him.

Sayuri replied almost instantly, "No, that will be too selfish of me. This is already bad enough and I don't want to take even more from you, especially your dream of being Hokage. Besides, I want to do this _alone_."

Naruto pleaded, "You don't understand, my dream of being Hokage is not complete without yo-"

"If you want me to come back with you, I'm afraid you'll have to either knock me out and drag me back or wait till I'm finished with my business," she cut in.

"Revenge will not bring back your fallen clan," replied Naruto, "So as much as I love you Sayuri, I'm sorry to say I'll have to go with the first option."

Sayuri responded, "Then so be it. It's been a while since we went full out on each other." Her right hand went up in front of her chest, her index and middle finger pointing up while her thumb pressed her ring and pinky finger down. Meanwhile, her eyes had transitioned from black to vermilion red in her right eye and regal violet in her left.

Naruto recognised and mirrored her gesture, as was the standard protocol for a duel between shinobi. They held the Seal Of Confrontation till a single leaf flew out of its tree, blown by the wind. It drifted down towards the water of the lake, carried by the wind in its strong embrace.

Once the leaf hit the water, both shinobi jumped down from their respective statues' heads and sprinted across the lake. They flew at each other and initiated a ferocious high-speed taijutsu match.

Sayuri launched a high kick with her left foot, which Naruto blocked. The girl utilised the momentum and flipped, landing on the water. She pushed off and attempted a left hook, but Naruto blocked it once again.

This time the Uzumaki retaliated by swinging his right fist but the Uchiha ducked under it. Naruto followed it up with a downward punch with his left hand, but Sayuri evaded it by spinning away in an anticlockwise motion.

The moment she spun around, she shot her left elbow towards Naruto. Unsurprisingly, he blocked it with his right forearm. She quickly continued with a fast right punch, but that too was stopped short by the Uzumaki's left arm.

Naruto bridged off from that block by leaning forward and pressing his shoulder against her right arm and chest in a temporary lock while he attempted a low punch with his right hand.

Sayuri caught his fist with her left and violently pushed upwards, breaking free of his hold and getting a grip on his arm. The Uchiha whirled him around and chopped her hand down. Naruto quickly set his elbow up in another block.

Sayuri bent her hand over his and slid down the length of his arm, using her fingertips to manipulate his. In this way, she forced him to form the Horse hand seal with her. Naruto looked at it in worry before deciding to thrust his other fist at her.

The Uchiha weaved around it and threw her first successful punch at his face, pushing him back. Before he could fall though, she caught his outstretched right arm with her left and this time, forced him to complete the Tiger hand seal.

Before he could comprehend what just happened, she reaped his left leg out from under him and brought him into a kneel. While still holding his right hand, she shot a kick at his face which he almost managed to block but didn't.

It connected and the impact stunned him, allowing her to follow up with a second kick to his abdomen. This caused him to double over, enabling her to plant her feet onto Naruto's back and kick off explosively like a springboard, launching her away from him.

While upside down mid-air, she brought a hand to her lips and expelled a giant fireball. The Uzumaki leapt back and avoided the first one, which crashed into the water and brought up smoke.

She then launched two consecutive fireballs. Naruto evaded them by bounding backwards in a zigzag manner, before backflipping and landing on the side of the statue.

The blond was about to form the clone seal, but was interrupted by a kunai flying out of nowhere which pierced the wall right next to his stomach. Attached to its ring was shinobi wire.

Like a zip line, Sayuri pulled herself up and rocketed towards Naruto. The blond took a step back up the wall and they carried on with some more taijutsu.

For unknown reasons, Sayuri was particularly fierce in her taijutsu, more so than usual which put a lot of pressure on Naruto as he had never experienced such a tight battle before. The Uchiha interfered each time he tried to make shadow clones, which was very irritating.

The girl spun down low to avoid a sweeping blow before popping up with a feint and then firing off a kick which sent Naruto off the wall in a plunge.

While mid-air, the Uzumaki's fingers slid into the shadow clone seal. Smoke burst beside him to reveal shadow clones. When Naruto hit the water, he applied chakra to his feet to repel off and after grabbing his shadow clones, swung and tossed them up towards Sayuri like rogue missiles.

As expected, the Uchiha managed to dodge the first one by sidestepping and kicked the second away. But while her back was turned, a third clone slammed into her. Naruto capitalised on this and quickly jumped up after his clone. Seizing her, both rolled at high speeds up the side of the statue and once they reached the top at Hashirama's shoulders, the blond threw her with great strength at the Shodai's neck.

She smashed into the wall, landing in an upright position. Sayuri looked up and saw several shadow clones with Rasengans in their hands incoming and quickly extracted herself from the crash site.

With her Sharingan, she was superior in combat and easily weaved in and out of the clones' attacks and defences. A kage bunshin came at her in a coordinated attack with two other clones.

The Uchiha performed a backflip and rolled over the first clone's back, using it like a pommel horse and snapping her feet out sideways to neutralise the other two clones.

When she landed, the first clone spun around but she swiftly dispatched it with a vicious uppercut. At that moment, the original flew at her with an intent to initiate a headbutt, but she formed a cross guard and blocked it. She followed up with a roundhouse kick which threw him away.

Her Rinnegan glowed as she stuck out her hands. The original and the remaining clones surrounding her were drawn in by her Banshō Tenin, unable to resist its attractive force. She channelled more chakra to her eyes as she executed a second dōjutsu technique, making her right eye warp into a Mangekyō.

"Enton: Honoikazuchi (Blaze Style: Honoikazuchi)!" Sayuri intoned. Black flames manifested around her and shaped into spikes which pierced through the clones. Only the original managed to stop it with a partial manifestation in the form of a Six Paths Sage Chakra Arm. Two more manifested from his back and came together in the Snake seal before smashing down on the Uchiha, throwing up a lot of smoke.

Unsurprisingly, Sayuri escaped from it unscathed. Naruto entered Six Paths Sage Mode and sent a chakra arm at her out of the smoke. With her Sharingan, she foresaw the motion and quickly dodged it. Another chakra arm branched out, forcing her to evade them in mid-air by leaping from one to another.

Naruto sent his left arm in a secondary assault. Sayuri jumped and landed on his chakra arm before springing off it again while forming hand seals. When she entered an upright position, she spewed a giant fireball at the blond.

The Uzumaki withdrew one arm and placed it in front of him, expanding the palm to block the fireball. Naruto dug his heels into the ground as the force of the powerful jutsu pushed him back.

All of a sudden, he sensed her chakra appearing behind him. "Her left eye is-" The moment he turned back, she smacked him with a Chidori, sending him rocketing off the statue and into the water.

Naruto managed to keep himself afloat, just in time to see Sayuri manifesting her Susanoo. A giant purple bow formed in its hands and so did an accompanying arrow. She nocked it along with two other projectiles and fired them off at the Uzumaki, whose hands slid into the Snake seal.

"Mokuton: Hōbi no Jutsu (Wood Style: Wood Expulsion Jutsu)!" A giant dome-like defensive structure in the shape of a dragon's face burst from the lake floor and surrounded Naruto to protect him from the incoming projectiles.

The three arrows collided with the powerful defense mechanism that could withstand a Bijū Dama, causing a huge explosion which Sayuri used as a cover to channel more chakra to her Susanoo and bring it from a Level 3 to that of a Perfect Susanoo.

With her advanced chakra control, Sayuri managed to stabilise the chakra of her ultimate weapon and complete the technique's pinnacle stage.

Her Susanoo was the size of the Hokage Rock, matching that of Kurama in terms of height. It possessed massive armour and wings, as well as giant wicked blades larger than Gamabunta's. A gem on its forehead was where Sayuri stood, controlling the entire chakra construct. She jumped off the First's statue and flew through the smoke towards Naruto.

The Uzumaki had sensed a horrendous spike in chakra and braced himself for whatever incoming technique Sayuri was about to throw at him. He least expected a titanic avatar the size of the Kyūbi.

Once Naruto saw it, he clapped his hands together and summoned chakra from Kurama, letting it overflow, wrap around him and converge into an avatar.

Sayuri could see that he had channelled the chakra of the Kyūbi and ground to a halt mid-flight. She backpedalled slightly and ripped the warrior's sword of its sheath just as Kurama's chakra form came into view, his nine tails flailing menacingly.

The Uchiha directed Susanoo's sword at the Kyūbi but Naruto swiftly repelled it with a vicious swipe of his tail. The force behind the block propelled the sword out of the avatar's hand and caused it to crash into the nearby forests, taking out many trees in the process.

Sayuri cocked her fist back and swung it at Naruto, who countered similarly. Their chakra avatars' fists clashed and caused water to crest around them in waves, inadvertently exchanging memories.

Sayuri was exposed to the hatred Naruto had felt as a child when he was severely mistreated by the village, more than when she had first heard of it from the Uzumaki himself. His loneliness and despite all that, his kindness were also felt by the Uchiha, touching her deeply. His love for her was bared in his memories, which began developing soon after the Academy graduation.

As they exchanged more blows, more emotions flooded into each other's heads, filling them with a blast from the past.

Naruto experienced a sense of loss stronger than anything before, an effect of the Uchiha clan massacre which had scarred Sayuri strongly. He now understood with great clarity why she had been motivated to murder her brother, as well as why she loved him. In her eyes, Naruto's kindness to her was a balancing force against all the chaos and loss she had encountered as a child, a never-ending source of stability for her. A pillar of strength to support her. The very wind beneath her wings.

Sayuri continued her barrage relentlessly, and each time, Naruto blocked it. Finally, her Susanoo executed a kick to his stomach and launched him towards shore.

She sent a fireball at Kurama, but the fox avatar leapt up and towards her. The Susanoo then fired off a volley of fireballs skyward at Kurama. The manifestation of the Kyūbi dodged the first one, used his tails to slam the second one away and evaded the third one. He swerved and avoided the last one, before flipping and tackling her Susanoo.

As the sky stirred with storm clouds, they continued to fight hand to sword. The Uchiha manifested a second blade and wielded both, slashing down at Kurama with a cross slash.

The fox avatar brought his tails in in front of his face to brace against the impact, deflecting it away to his sides. The power behind the slash was so much that the force rippled across the water quickly and slammed into the forests at shore.

"What's the matter? Are you only going to play defence?" Sayuri taunted. Naruto scowled and pushed his hands out, telekinetically commanding the nine tails of Kurama to push out with great strength and repel the Uchiha's Perfect Susanoo off it.

The purple titan flew back, but didn't have the chance to get far as the Uzumaki used his avatar's tails to seize it by the leg and pull it down, dragging the Susanoo into the water. Simultaneously, a purple ball formed rapidly at Kurama's mouth. The Bijū Dama hovered threateningly, primed at Sayuri's Susanoo but did not fire off.

The Uchiha clicked her tongue in annoyance. Naruto would not win as he did not have the intent to kill her, but she didn't either. Neither wished to kill off the other but both wanted to knock the other out. While it was easy to kill someone, knocking someone unconcious without killing him was a delicate job and had to be done very carefully.

Her left hand crackled with electricity for the third time that day, invoking thunder to gather and fly down towards the Kyūbi. Her left eye amassed chakra too in order to initiate Amenotejikara.

The celestial beast crashed down on the titan in a flash of bright light, disorientating Naruto as Sayuri and her Susanoo shifted away. The impact created a shockwave which spread out and gradually ebbed.

Naruto turned back and saw Sayuri amassing a great amount of chakra which caused her Perfect Susanoo's armour to split open slightly, exposing the lightning coloured humanoid within. While the body of her Susanoo had been "solid" before, now it seemed completely solid if not for the fact that Sayuri was encased in the jewel on its forehead.

"That isn't ordinary chakra…" uttered Asura. Naruto nodded. "I can tell… it's Indra's chakra isn't it?"

In response, the fox avatar formed the shadow clone hand seal. Four clones burst into existence next to him. Wordlessly, Sayuri began her onslaught.

She appeared above the original and slammed a rod fashioned out of pure lightning down on him, sending him crashing into the forests.

The shadow clones began to fight back, but each time, Sayuri's Susanoo proved superior in strength. Two shadow clones grabbed her avatar by its hands in an attempt to restrain it, and a third grabbed its back. The fourth spun around and smashed its nine tails at the purple titan's face, following up with a direct punch. However, the clone's hand exploded when the recoil hit.

Sayuri mustered some strength and with little effort, smashed the two Kyūbis restraining her Susanoo's arms together. She backflipped and broke free from the grip of the one restraining her avatar's back, before taking him out with a downward kick.

She sped forward to the fourth shadow clone and ploughed her Susanoo's foot into his stomach. The clone was knocked out of the air and hit the forests.

The original and two other clones continued with their attack. The two clones tried to strike Sayuri's Susanoo, but she fended them off with the rod of lightning in her hand. The original blitzed her with a high-speed jump, forcing her up and through the clouds along with his two clones.

The four combatants burst through the clouds and continued to clash within the stratosphere. The Uchiha deflected the two clones and slammed an armoured fist into the original.

The resultant force propelled the original back towards his two clones. The three fox avatars began charging up Bijū Damas, while Sayuri's rod of lightning arced to become a bow. The bow was nocked with three arrows materialised from Indra's chakra - an extension of her will.

The foxes released their Tailed Beast Balls just as the Uchiha fired off her arrows. Indra's chakra overcame the Bijū Damas and pierced through them - triggering explosions - before heading straight for the three Kyūbi avatars.

The arrows vaporised their right sides completely and left the gaps undulating with chakra. Naruto scowled at Sayuri.

The girl returned the stare and said, "You'll never win this, Naruto-kun. Give up and let me go!"

Naruto dispelled the shadow clone which had been knocked away by her earlier and had been gathering natural energy ever since. He felt the surge of natural energy in his body rejuvenating him, and with that, he merged his fox avatar with the two shadow clones next to him to form a titanic three-headed six-armed fox.

Sayuri's eyes widened as she could see the sharp increase in natural energy because it was scarily visible in the sheer amount that Naruto had just gained. In retaliation, she channelled all of Indra's chakra she had left into an arrow of pure lightning, enhancing it with her Six Paths Yin Power which amplified the jutsu's power a thousandfold.

The Uzumaki growled at Sayuri as collosal Rasengans the size of planetoids formed in his avatar's six arms, augmented by natural energy and Rikudō Senjutsu Chakra. It contained every single drop of chakra Naruto had left in his own reserves, and that was saying a lot. "Give up-"

"-trying to make me give up!" the blond roared as he released his twin astral orbs at the girl he loved, just as she fired off her counterattack.

 **"Rikudō: Shin Taikyoku Chōōdama Rasengan (Six Paths: True Supreme Ultimate Massive Rasengan)!"**

 **"Indora no Ya (Indra's Arrow)!"**

The collision resulted in a fiery fulmination to an extent never experienced before. The heat was so strong that it vaporised all the water in the Konoha-sized lake, leaving only a small stream trickling down the Valley Of The End.

It also generated a powerful lightning discharge that destroyed much of the countryside and toppled the heads of the two statues, as well as setting fires to the remains of the decimated forest.

A dark storm cloud the size of a hurricane stirred ominously overhead, and strong winds blew outwards from the point of collision that breezed through the surrounding lands and could even be felt as far away as Kumogakure.

This gained the attention of Kakashi, who was currently on his way to track his missing students. "I hope for once… I get there on time," the silver-haired nin thought as he leapt from tree branch to tree branch.

From the cloud, two figures cloaked in a purple and orange aura respectively plunged down towards the Valley. When they hit the respective sides of the stream, only their auras cushioned them from suffering further damage.

The ethereal purple cloak faded away as Sayuri got up into a kneel, groaning. She saw the blond on the opposite side of the stream standing up.

"Dammit, he's still concious," she thought. Her chakra reserves were severely depleted from keeping her Susanoo up, and she only had a small amount left. The Uchiha was sure that her opponent knew it too.

"Amaterasu!" Sayuri intoned as blood leaked down the left side of her face. Black flames sprouted and flew towards the blond mercilessly.

In defence, Naruto raised his right hand in front of his face and coated it with Kurama's chakra to shield it from the incoming attack. The black flames caught onto the red chakra and began to consume it.

The Uzumaki slipped the burning red chakra off like a sleeve and let it fall to his side. He began walking towards Sayuri.

"Kuso… I can't actually win against him like this. I need more cha-" Sayuri winced and cupped her face in agony as she failed to mould more chakra. "I used too much earlier… can't maintain control… At this rate, I can't use my left eye's abilities either!"

As she said so, the six tomoes on her Rinnegan faded away. Naruto jumped towards her and performed a mule kick which tossed her backwards. Three shadow clones formed with some chakra from Kurama and continued the attack with more kicks which pushed her skywards.

She finally mustered enough power in her right eye and foresaw the original's punch. She slammed a fist into his face just as he did the same to hers.

The blunt force threw him down onto the stone floor, while Sayuri managed to break her fall with a roll. As she did so, she ripped the black hand warmer off her right forearm to reveal a summoning tattoo.

Just as Naruto's three shadow clones lunged at her, shurikens burst into existence within her hands. She augmented them with raiton chakra and propelled them at the bunshins.

The lightning chakra ran through their body and stunned them momentarily, creating an opening for her to utilise her Chidori. Sayuri charged at them and took out the first two with a swipe of her Thousand Birds, and plunged it into the chest of the last shadow clone.

The kage bunshin grabbed her outstretched left hand and restrained her, preventing her from withdrawing it. The original ran at her and threw a punch that knocked her away as the clone dispelled.

She tumbled and came to a stop as Naruto ran at her with a Rasengan. Somehow, he had managed to gather some more chakra. Sayuri grimaced when the Chidori in her fizzled out due to her lack of chakra. The Uzumaki came within a metre from her before collasping mid-step into a prone position. His Rasengan drove into the floor and created a small crater as it dispersed, expending the last drop of his chakra.

The Uchiha took the opening and kicked him with force on the shoulder, enough to flip him over to a supine position. She sat on his stomach and cocked back a fist in a knockout attempt.

Sayuri launched a vicious punch aimed at his temple, but Naruto managed to stop it by catching her fist. He seized her by the collar with his other hand and pulled her close to initiate a headbutt which disorientated her temporarily.

This allowed him to slip his knees past her legs and bring them up to his body, then fire off a kick at her stomach which threw her off him.

Sayuri groaned as she lay flat on the floor. Why wouldn't he just let her go?

Naruto was so fatigued that he could hardly stand up normally. Thus, the Uzumaki rolled on to his side and propped up his elbow, pushing off it to assist him in getting up.

The Uchiha wasn't faring that well either as using Indra's Arrow, followed by Amaterasu and then a Chidori was certainly more than enough to empty her reserves and drain her both physically and mentally.

She recovered into a half squat position and glared at the blond she loved. He just wouldn't stay down.

She charged at him, and he did the same. When the two's fists finally connected, they were hardly more than just lovetaps. Naruto had his knuckles pressed against her forehead while Sayuri's fist was contacting his stomach.

They were panting as their fists remained in contact with their respective targets, staring into each other's eyes. Neither wished to give in, but both no longer had the strength to generate enough force to mean anything in this fight. It would degenerate into nothing more than two drunkards fighting.

Mindscape

Kurama said, "Hang in there, Naruto. I'm amassing chakra for you and you will soon be able to end-"

Reality

Naruto looked down and saw his chakra being siphoned off towards Sayuri where her fist met his abdomen.

He slumped forward and his right hand slipped off her head as he was weakened by the absorption of his chakra. Sayuri released her hand and let him slip into a kneel.

Sayuri was pleased as she felt some semblance of strength return to her. "This is one of the abilities of my Rinnegan. As someone who possesses the eyes of the Uchiha, my victory is inevitable."

Naruto looked up at her. Without warning, he slammed an uppercut to her chin and augmented it with some natural energy he gathered on the spot.

The strike's element of surprise caught her off guard and sent her crashing twenty metres away. Sayuri got up, angrily whispering, "Over and over… and over… and over… and over… AND OVER AND OVER _AND OVER_ _AGAIN!_ **JUST GIVE UP AND LET ME** **GO**!"

The Uchiha's left hand came alive, crackling with visible raiton chakra. In the centre of the gathering was a black orb of flames.

Mindscape

"As expected, she's used the chakra I infused for you and assimilated it to make it her own. Chidori as well as Kagutsuchi… Sayuri is planning to end this. I'll give you some more chakra but it'll strain even my reserves. Make it count and don't release your jutsu till the last minute to ensure she doesn't absorb any more chakra from you," Kurama warned.

Naruto smiled gently, and raised his fist to Kurama. The fox smirked and tapped it with his own.

Reality

Sayuri took off and sprinted towards Naruto with the threatening technique in her hand. The Uzumaki dashed at her with an outstretched hand. As he neared the Uchiha, chakra began to materialise and gather in wisps, forming an orb where chakra rotated violently within.

Naruto noticed her right hand reaching for her pouch and emerging with a kunai she whipped out. She threw it at the Uzumaki's head, and it missed narrowly.

However, Naruto was no fool. Sayuri never missed, and Orochimaru's experience was a testament to that. But how could she use Amenotejikara? Her eyes had been overused earlier and her Visual Prowess had weakened considerably. He remembered seeing the tomoes fade from her eyes.

Unless... Naruto looked up and into her eyes, focusing particularly on her left eye. To his horror, just seconds before they clashed, six tomoes came into existence on her Rinnegan.

All along, she had been buying time. He had been played. Sayuri felt the rejuvenating sensation, and hesitated for a moment. It was now or never. Steeling her gaze, she activated her jikūkan dōjutsu.

Instantaneously, she appeared behind him with trained precision. The Uchiha gripped Naruto's right arm and forced him to turn around. With a momentary armlock, she managed to immobilise him for a second - the very same second that she drove her jutsu into his elbow joint, tearing through the bone and flesh completely.

The severed forearm hit the stone floor uselessly along with the Rasengan that had been forming in it as the connection to the Chakra Pathway System had been broken. More than just that, the severed part was being incinerated by the Kagutsuchi in her Chidori.

Needless to say, Naruto was suffering from severe blood loss at the stump where his right forearm once was. Though his healing factor was helping him, it would take at least a week to grow it back completely.

His vision grew foggy and swam with pain. As the Uzumaki fell forward, Sayuri caught him and slowly lowered him while pulling him close into a hug.

Tears streamed down her face. "I-I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. Forgive me, but this was the only way to stop you from coming after me. I've done way too much against you, so I do not expect you to love me anymore. But if you still do..."

Sayuri rested his head on the stone floor before she reached for the back of her hair and pulled the kumihimo cord securing it, letting it come undone. Her long hair cascaded down her back in its natural beauty.

The Uchiha tied the red and black cord around the Uzumaki's left wrist like a wristband and she declared, "This is my promise to you, Naruto-kun. I will come back once I'm done with my brother."

The girl leaned over and pressed her lips softly against Naruto's, for the first time since that incident in the classroom. Sayuri shivered slightly at the touch. What had she done?

Then she reminded herself. She had chosen this path. All this was her fault, too. Forgiveness should not be expected for someone like her, who deserved none. If she turned back now, she would have done this all for nothing. Hurt the love of her life for no reason at all. The least she could do now was to carry on and finish her task like she intended.

It was twisted, but she would have to make his sacrifice meaningful. With much reluctance, she drew back and broke their connection for the last time. His blue eyes stared into hers with sadness, breaking her heart for doing this to him and filling her with longing and the hope of a better future.

"Now, rest. Whatever you do, remember that I'll always love you, even if the feelings are no longer mutual," Sayuri uttered into his ear before bringing fingers to his eyes and sliding them shut. The Uchiha was as tired as he was, but she had no choice except to carry on.

The girl stood up, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. She gave her beloved blond one last look before dashing away over the horizon.

Within her subconcious, Indra cackled to himself. His plan to corrupt her had somehow succeeded against all odds despite her love for the blasted Uzumaki. He should have egged her on to kill him completely, but it would've been way too obvious.

Now, it was up to him to find a new purpose after Itachi to keep her within the Curse Of Hatred. How he wished there was new material against the Leaf for him to manipulate her with.

And even Indra did not know that his wish would be granted, and in such great quantity.

Naruto's Mindscape

Asura encouraged, "Hang in there, Naruto-kun. I'm stabilising your condition with as much Yang chakra as I can muster."

Kurama was also putting out chakra around his host, forming a protective cloak which prevented further damage to his vulnerable body.

"Thanks guys." Naruto wasn't in the mood, however. He had just a lost a teammate, a friend, and a lover. Why was he so weak? How was he to become Hokage if he couldn't even save Sayuri from falling into darkness?

"Sleep, child. Rest," ordered Asura in a calming voice. He could sense his incarnate's troubling thoughts and it would not do him any good in this state.

Reality

Kakashi burst through the forest line with his ninken, Pakkun. He had finally arrived at the Shūmatsu no Tani.

The Copy Ninja noticed his student lying within the valley and cursed himself for not reaching sooner. He hoped he wasn't too late.

Kakashi leapt off the valley walls and dropped down to the stream where Naruto was lying next to.

He wasn't an iryō-nin, but he could tell that his student was in a horrible condition. His right forearm was completely missing, and he was surrounded by a cloak of red chakra.

The jōnin sweated profusely. "Naruto, can you hear me?" The blond opened his eyes and smiled weakly. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei."

The Copy Ninja realised that this wasn't the student he once knew. Naruto had become a lot more… hollow. For now, he would have to resolve the Uzumaki's physical issues. The best he could do was to bring him to Tsunade for treatment and hopefully, she would restore him to a proper condition.

Kakashi knew he was losing time. Hurriedly, he picked the boy up, disregarding the red cloak which burned his hands. However, it disappeared within seconds as the man mounted the wall and quickly tore back down the path towards the Leaf.

Konohagakure Hospital

Tsunade paced around anxiously while anticipating the arrival of Naruto. What had he done?

The hospital doors flew open and in came Kakashi with said boy in his arms. "Tsunade-sama, here's Naruto. His severed right forearm was nowhere to be found."

The blond woman frowned but nodded and urgently brought the boy into an emergency ward. When Tsunade assessed his injuries, she could see that despite losing an arm, Naruto's healing factor was already kicking in. An elbow was gradually but visibly growing at the stump.

All Tsunade had to do was to give him more blood to replace that which he lost at the Valley, as well as fix the severe chakra burns she could sense from an overusage of his coils.

The Slug Princess sighed, tempted to punch Naruto for the trouble he had caused her but realised that it would make her job even more difficult as she would have to repair the ensuing damage, too.

"Uzumaki Naruto," she muttered, rubbing her temples in frustration. "Already giving me trouble even before I become Hokage."

Without further ado, she carried on with the operation.

One Week Later

Naruto wriggled his fingers at Tsunade's command. "Good," remarked the sannin as she ticked a box on her checklist.

"You seem ready to be discharged. How do you feel?" asked the medic. "I feel great, Tsunade-baachan. You should know that I'm not one to stick in hospitals for long."

Tsunade snorted in reply. "Yeah, your healing factor makes sure of that too. It's rather remarkable, at the level of my grandfather or even better. And by the way, that's Hokage-sama to you." She bopped the blond on his head.

As Naruto rubbed his head in pain, he replied, "Oh right… I missed your inauguration. Sorry, Tsunade-baachan."

Said Hokage sighed. "Some things never change…" she thought.

"Anyways, your arm has been fully healed, but go easy on it for a while. You've also recovered from your chakra burns, and apparently once you were able to start amassing chakra to a suitable level, your healing rate actually accelerated. Really, you should thank your tenants."

Naruto noticed the plural form and realised that as Hokage, she had probably been informed of his ancestor. He cast the thought aside and continued, "Thanks, baachan. I can't wait to leave this place and have a bowl of Ichiraku's."

Tsunade smirked. "Alright, I'll approve your discharge. Report to my office as soon as possible after your lunch though, I need a report on the battle and Jiraiya has something for you as well."

Naruto nodded and jumped out of the window. As she watched him leave, Tsunade pondered on what had just happened.

It did not go unnoticed that he didn't seem emotionally distressed by the fact that Sayuri had beaten him and left the village. He must have come to terms with it during the past week of recovery - or so it appeared to Tsunade.

Inside, his heart was torn into a million pieces and it did not heal as fast as his arm did. He was just good at hiding how much Sayuri had broke his heart as he didn't want to break down in front of someone as important as Tsunade.

Losing his lover to the darkness of his ancestor's brother was nothing but distressing; one did not get over something as emotionally disturbing as this in a week. In fact, it was possible that this would haunt him for a lifetime, or at least till Sayuri came back to him.

He was acutely aware of how much he missed her and desperately needed her affection, despite all that she had done to him as Naruto understood her in a way. It wasn't really her fault either as Asura said: Indra was the one behind her mindset, corrupting her with the Curse Of Hatred in an effort to stamp out his Will Of Fire.

Naruto became even more concious of the need to end the conflict of beliefs as he had just witnessed its effects first hand and did _not_ like it one bit.

Hokage's Office, Later

Tsunade ordered in an authoritative tone, "Report (December 16th 1991 xD)." Naruto began recounting his fight with Sayuri from what he could recall.

Jiraiya winced when his student said that the Uchiha drove her jutsu into his elbow and tore off his right arm. That had to be the ultimate rejection, and Jiraiya had been on the receiving end of a few of those before.

"Uchiha Sayuri… I've read up on quite a bit about her. I will mark her as a nukenin and place a tracking order on her," said Tsunade.

Naruto's eyes widened and he dropped to his knees. "Please don't, Hokage-sama. I promise, she will come back one day to be married to me, and I don't wish for her to be treated as a criminal," the Uzumaki begged.

Tsunade met his pleading gaze for two seconds before sighing in defeat. "Alright then. I'll close one eye this time. For official purposes, she is to be treated as a shinobi on a mission to kill Itachi."

Naruto stood up and bowed. "Thank you," said the blond appreciately.

Tsunade nodded. "And now, I believe Jiraiya has something to say to you." She signalled for the Toad Sage to begin.

"I've received intel about the Akatsuki. They plan to begin capturing the Tailed Beasts in three years time - these three years will be sufficient for you to take a long training trip with me and pick up some more skills. Make no mistake, though you managed to fend off Itachi and Kisame, that was only two out of ten of them. And they certainly won't stop training during these three years either, so it's crucial that I prepare you for the final confrontation."

Naruto accepted the information and asked, "Fine, but when are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow," Tsunade answered as she signed the permits of leave for them. "We still have yet to promote you to chūnin and officialise your position as Uzumaki clan head."

Naruto rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But doing both will place me under the Clan Restoration Act as I have yet to be engaged to Sayuri. How about you just announce my heritage but withhold my promotion? When both Sayuri and I return, you can then promote us safely. I'm sure I'll be engaged to her before I'm 18."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. It was a risky plan, but it was the only way to avoid placing Naruto under the CRA's enactment.

The Godaime assented. The Uzumaki was actually smarter than most gave him credit for.

"Alright, kiddo. You have one day to do whatever last things you want in this village; tomorrow morning, I'll see you at 8 at the North Gate. Ja ne," the Toad Sage said, then leapt out of the window.

Tsunade was amused. Now she knew where Naruto learnt that habit from. "I won't hold you back any longer. Enjoy your last day here," said Tsunade.

"Thanks, Tsunade-baachan."

The Next Day

After having fourty bowls of Ichiraku's ramen the previous night, Naruto felt ready to go on his trip and could die in peace if the need arose.

He went round his ex-classmates' houses to bid them farewell. Once he was done with all the formalities, Tsunade cleared them at the gate.

"See you guys in three years," said Tsunade with a smile.

"I swear I'll improve so much that you won't even recognise me when I come back," Naruto said.

The Godaime smirked in response. "I hope so. You'd better take that hat from me when you do; it's been less than a week and the paperwork is already piling higher than the Hokage Rock."

Naruto grinned. "Good luck with that then baachan. Ja!"

"Ja ne." As she watched their retreating backs, Tsunade snapped a finger to summon her personal ANBU squad.

"Gather the Council for a very important meeting." "Hai!" the operatives replied before disappearing to carry out the command of their leader.

She smirked, and couldn't wait to see the councillors' faces when they realised that the very person they had been mistreating for so long had been the son of the greatest hero of the Leaf. It would certainly be an interesting meeting.

Tsunade put her hat on and strode towards the Council Chambers, the smile never leaving her face.

Author's Notes:

At this point, I can tell that many of y'all are prepared to flame me, and I wouldn't be surprised either. Of course all of you wanted them to be together, but destiny works in mysterious ways xD. Don't abandon this story just yet though, for the first stage in their relationship has just begun. Stay tuned for a more powerful Naruto next chapter! Rate and review :)

Until tomorrow,

Ja Ne


	17. Hurricane Chronicles

Asura's Transmigrant

Author's Notes:

If you haven't re-read the new version of the previous chapter, please do! And yep, I changed my name to match the title of this story. As expected, many readers were displeased with the previous chapter as the outcome was not desired for the NarutoFemSasuke ship. It has to be understood though, that with characters that have personalities as complex as Naruto and Sayuri's, it's impossible to have just your standard fluffy fic without sacrificing the quality of the plot. I understand that it may not be your cup of tea, and you may lose interest. For the purposes of their relationship however, I encourage y'all to keep reading. Love is, after all, a tumultuous journey of more than just roses and fluff.

Chapter 17: Hurricane Chronicles

Previously:

Tsunade put her hat on and strode towards the Council Chambers, the smile never leaving her face.

Three Years Later

Naruto and Jiraiya strode down the path to the North Gate of Konoha. While the older man did not change much in appearance, the younger blond did due to both puberty and his extensive training.

The Uzumaki wore a tattered, collared orange shirt, and a grey undershirt beneath it that extended with a beaked hood. Over the orange shirt, a black flak jacket similar to the style of Kumogakure wrapped around from his torso to his right shoulder, where a red Uzumaki spiral was emblazoned. He also had grey pants and a pair of black shinobi sandals; a belt with the Leaf's insignia inscribed on the buckle and a pair of bracers marked with storage sealing formulas completed the look, not forgetting the most important of his possessions: a black and red braided cord which wrapped around his left hand like a bracelet.

The blond's muscles could be seen visibly rippling beneath his outfit, and his face looked eerily reminiscent of his father now that his face had matured and his hair had grown longer.

"I wonder how everyone's doing…" wondered Naruto. Jiraiya laughed and slapped him on the back. "Well, you'll know soon enough."

The blond grinned.

Konoha Guard Post

"Oi… isn't that Jiraiya-sama and that kid Naruto?" asked Izumo. Kotetsu took a glance at the approaching figures.

"Seems like it. Naruto looks a lot like the Fourth now though," Kotetsu remarked. Izumo nodded in agreement. The resemblance was scary.

When Naruto and Jiraiya entered the gates, the blond turned to the guards and smiled. "Hey!"

Izumo smirked. "Welcome back home."

Naruto winked at him and said, "See you around." As the master and student continued to walk along the main street towards the Hokage's Office, Naruto could see that not much had changed in terms of infrastructure.

All of a sudden, he heard squeals of "Uzumaki-sama!", "It's Uzumaki-sama!" and "Naruto-sama is back!"

The blond sweatdropped. The village may not have changed, but its people sure have. He also hated the fact that they acknowledged him just because of his heritage… it's not like he had done anything worthy of respect in their knowledge other than being the firstborn of the Fourth.

Naruto spoke, "I can't believe that I wanted attention in the past, and now that I have it, I don't want it." Jiraiya shrugged.

"It's just one of the things that come with being famous," replied the Toad Sage. Naruto sighed and tugged on his grey hood, pulling it over his head.

He bent his knees and pushed off with great force, leaping onto the nearest rooftop. The blond waved at Jiraiya to follow him.

The Toad Sage jumped up after his student and both ran shinobi-style across rooftops of the Leaf, towards the office of the Slug Princess.

Hokage's Office

"Come in," said Tsunade as she heard the knocks on her door. She looked up and gasped at the pair that entered. While Jiraiya was undoubtedly the same, the Godaime barely recognised the blond next to him, compared to the brat she knew from three years ago.

Naruto pushed back his hood and smiled at Tsunade. "It's been a while, Tsunade-baachan." The Fifth initiated a bone-crushing hug, but Naruto managed to withstand the strength behind it and even patted her back.

"How's life been?" asked Naruto.

"Oh you know, the usual… paperwork that never seems to end every single day, and I don't even get breaks on weekends. Shizune doesn't let me have sake while on the job either," Tsunade complained.

Her assistant defended, "It's for your own good, shishō. When you're drunk, you've no idea what sort of irrational decisions you're making."

"Oh, shut up… anyways, enough about me. What the _hell_ happened to you in those three years?"

"Eh? Nothing much, really. I've just invented a couple of techniques, mastered onmyōton, mokuton, jiton and the five basic elements, and also gained some muscle mass. That's about it, along with some minor-"

"-he really means major," Jiraiya cut in.

"-improvements to my taijutsu, bukijutsu and fūinjutsu." Naruto finished.

Tsunade was rather impressed. To accomplish so many things in three years was quite remarkable.

As if reading her mind, Naruto supplied, "We bought quite a lot of time by training in Myōbokuzan. Because a week here is a month there, we spent about..." He paused to count on his fingers. "...thirteen years on that mountain."

"You forgot the fact that you spammed shadow clones," Jiraiya added. "Oh yeah..." Naruto rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"That would be exactly 6500 years worth of training considering that I used 499 shadow clones each day," the Uzumaki calculated.

"Excuse my language, but what the _actual_ **fuck** ," Tsunade swore. He was now definitely on a level beyond that of her comprehension.

Naruto laughed. "I know it's quite hard to believe, but don't worry, I'm largely still the same person, except for my power level which according to Asura, goes beyond S-rank and exceeds the Shodai's at his prime, which I believe is an exaggeration but I don't really know."

"But hey, there's a drawback y'know. 13 years of being on Myōbokuzan means 13 years I didn't get to eat at Ichiraku's," Naruto whined.

Tsunade snorted. "Heh, glad to see your personality is intact, and so is your love for ramen. I won't stop you then, since it's been '13 years' since you last had your favourite food. Go ahead and indulge yourself; I'll hold your sensei back for a more detailed report."

Jiraiya groaned as Naruto grinned. "Catch ya later, Ero-sennin!" Pulling on the hood, he disappeared in a flash of orange.

Tsunade thought, "He really is a lot like Hashirama-jiisama in many ways... despite the ridiculous amount of power he holds, he's still hilariously comical in speech."

Ichiraku Ramen

The Uzumaki pushed the flaps aside and sat down on one of the bar stools. Without looking up from his pot, Teuchi asked, "What can I get you?"

"One bowl of miso ramen with a slice of chashu, please," requested Naruto. The ramen chef gasped. No one had ordered that dish in three years. Could it be…?

He looked up at the stranger, who pulled his hood back to reveal his handsome face and his wild blond hair. "Scratch that, make it forty bowls oji-san," Naruto said with a smirk.

Ayame cried, "Is that you, Naruto-kun?" The Uzumaki nodded and hugged her over the bar table. "It's good to be back. I haven't had ramen for a very long time," remarked Naruto as he drew back to his seat.

Teuchi chuckled. "Great to see you back. I've not seen my favourite customer in a long time, and business has been going down ever since you left. Forty bowls of the usual, coming right up!"

While he cooked, Naruto made small talk with Ayame. While the girl learnt of his exploits during the past three years (without fully understanding it as a civilian), the blond caught up with all the latest news in the village.

After having his fill, Naruto thanked the father and daughter before taking his leave. Next, he visited the hospital to meet Sakura.

"So the rumours are true, I heard a few days ago that you were coming back. I didn't expect you to look so different though," admitted the pinkette.

"Everyone seems to be so amazed by my new look, but frankly I don't really see how it's that different myself," replied Naruto. "Anyways, I heard that you are a student of Tsunade now?"

Sakura nodded. "Yep. I'm also a chūnin now, I studied iryō ninjutsu extensively under her for the past three years, and I picked up quite a lot from her... when she's sombre."

Naruto laughed. "I see. Continue to do well! I'm sure you'll eventually develop your forte to be as good as Tsunade-baachan."

Sakura was amused at the name he just called the most powerful kunoichi in the world. Just then, a medical assistant called, "Sakura-san! The ER requires your help; there's a patient with third-degree burns."

Naruto continued, "Looks like you're needed. I won't disturb you further then, see you later!" Sakura replied, "Same." She then spun on her heel and rushed to the emergency room to attend to the patient.

The Uzumaki left the hospital and met more of his ex-classmates along the way, before settling back at home.

Naruto was surprised that the house was in a better condition than he had expected. He sent some shadow clones to deal with the layers of dust, but other than that, it seemed pretty much the same as when he left it.

As his shadow clones ran around the house, the Uzumaki looked out of the window with a wistful glance. "I wonder where you are, Konoha no Raijin (Thunder Goddess Of The Leaf)…"

Then his thoughts shifted. Perhaps, he could have a good reunion spar with Kakashi-sensei.

Nami no Kuni

In a small house of wood built by the town chief, Tazuna, a young lady sat casually drinking coffee while reading the newspaper.

A particular article caught her eye. "That Civil War in Kiri is still going on?" She read further and an idea came up. It could potentially be a great place to test out her abilities.

The lass finished her coffee, then dressed up in a white shirt with red trimmings and black shorts. Over it, she wore a sleeveless black robe emblazoned with a small fan, and secured it with a navy blue sash she wrapped around her waist. She then slipped into black shinobi sandals which came up to her ankle.

The girl slid her tsurugi - named Tenpenchii (Cataclysm) - through her sash and fixed a small pouch to the back of the sash, where an auxiliary wakizashi was secured horizontally through the pouch's cover.

Lastly, she tied her hair into a fishtail braid which fell by her right shoulder. Bangs framed her beautiful face, while a long, side-swept bang falling across her face covered her left eye completely.

Her eyes, the dark colour of outer space, bore deep into the souls of all who they chanced upon. It is said that eyes are the windows to the soul. Hers reflected a profound darkness within, immediately visible to those who caught even a glimpse of them.

The girl gathered all her possessions, which were rather minimal, and sealed them into a scroll which she placed in the pouch. "Now, I'll just have to get to Mizu no Kuni (Land Of Water). I probably won't come back after this, so…" She took once last glance at the house before leaving it.

The young lady headed over to the chief's house. "Tazuna-san," the black-haired girl greeted.

"Yes?" Tazuna asked, surprised to see the young lady here.

"I'll be off to Mizu no Kuni, and this time, I'll be leaving permanently." The man nodded in acceptance and with a tinge of sadness.

"Thanks for your family's hospitality, and renting out that nice house to me. I doubt I would have had anywhere to stay otherwise," she said.

"You're welcome. We're just repaying a debt from years before; and should you ever need a place to stay, remember that you can always come back here," replied Tazuna.

"Thank you," the young woman responded gratefully. Overhearing the conversation, Inari ran up to the girl.

"Neechan, you'll be gone forever?" asked the child sadly. She smirked and replied, "Not forever. But a long time. Be a good boy and listen to your grandfather, alright? Stay safe while I'm gone."

"You too, neechan," said Inari as he hugged the young lady. She then put him down and ruffled his hair.

"Ja ne." Lightning enveloped her for a second before she disappeared as quickly as it came.

The girl walked through town while on the way to the port of Wave Country. She passed by the local blacksmith's shop, where she had commissioned both her tsurugi and wakizashi. Both were fine blades crafted with amazing detail, and they had certainly been an integral part of her past exploits.

Out of the two, the Tenpenchii was more well-known as she rarely used her wakizashi. The world renowned blade was forged from an alloy of adamantine and chakra steel, and every person that had tasted the folded metal of the blade had never lived to tell the tale.

The lass was brought out of her thoughts by Akeba, the master blacksmith, who waved at her from within his dimly-lit workbench. She returned the gesture and carried on towards her destination.

Then, she walked by the town square, the centre of which was occupied by a marble statue of the country's hero. It was cut smoothly, and it was clearly modelled after a Konoha-nin due to the Leaf headband on the statue. The statue also had three whiskers on each side of his face, bearing a close resemblance to the actual person.

By now, the girl had already seen this statue over a thousand times so she was no longer fazed by the level of detail the sculptor had went to portray the hero. Their bridge was also another example of how well-loved this Konoha-nin was.

She continued walking till she reached the huge harbour where many sea vessels in all shapes and sizes were docked. This was the reason the island of Wave Country prospered - ships came from distant lands to carry out trade at the busy port of call.

There was a distinct bustle in the area where goods were being loaded and unloaded. Captains of ships and their crew came to shore to take a break from their voyages, having a snack or two at the local market before returning on board to resume their journey.

Here, she was certain she would find a vessel on the way to Mizu no Kuni. The lass scanned the pier and spotted a vessel marked with the four distinct sigmoid marks on its hull, identifying the watercraft as that of Kirigakure's. Currently, the _Kirikuria_ was being loaded with crates of supplies, the whole process of which was being monitored by what appeared to be the ship's captain.

Now, the issue was to see if it was a loyalist's or rebel's ship. The rebels consisted of people with kekkei genkai as that was what the revolt was about. The loyalists certainly wouldn't possess bloodline limits.

Fortunately, she was able to distinguish between the two as shinobi with kekkei genkai had special chakra coils which were adapted to producing whatever effect that was in their bloodline. One look, and she could tell that the captain was someone who possessed a kekkei genkai.

The young lady walked up the gangplank and towards the captain, a burly man dressed in a blue coat. He noticed her approach out of the corner of his eye and an annoyed look crossed his face.

"Go away, lady. We don't have time to deal with whatever you want," said the man dismissively as he continued to manage the loading of goods by his crew.

"I wish to help with your rebellion," she stated calmly. The captain scoffed and looked up.

"What could a girl-" His voice faltered and his throat went dry when he scrutinised her more closely and recognised her features. The captain's eyes widened as he realised where he had seen her face before. The infamous black sword the colour of night by her side, with its decorative scabbard and gold trimmings, was unmistakable as well.

"Y-You're the…"

The young woman nodded. "So, do we have an agreement?"

"Pardon me for my impudence! Forgive me, I did not recognise you earlier. And yes, I do hope you will join us, but that decision ultimately lies with our leader, Terumī Mei. I'll bring you to her as soon as this ship leaves Nami. We really appreciate your offer, and we could seriously use your help. In the mean time, do make yourself at home on board... we have a spare bunk if you don't mind sleeping there," offered the captain.

The young lady smirked at his sudden change of attitude upon knowing her identity. Well, being famous did have its perks.

The captain showed her to the bunk and said, "The journey will take about 3 days, and we could be attacked by pirates or Yagura's patrols."

"Thanks for the warning. If that's ever the case, just call me and I'll take care of it," said the lass. The captain bowed gratefully. "Once again, thank you for your help."

Hastily, he exited the bunk.

With Naruto

The blond thrust his foot out towards Kakashi's abdomen faster than he could block. Instantly, the force snapped his ribs and sent him crashing into a tree.

"That really hurt," remarked Kakashi as he winced in pain. "Sorry," said Naruto sheepishly.

The blond walked over and placed a hand on his sensei's ribs. Within seconds, the bones mended themselves and any pain was erased. "That healing ability of yours is amazing," the Copy Ninja praised.

"Eh? It's nothing, really," Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head in embarassment.

Kakashi shook his head in disbelief. From this short spar, he could tell that his student was way beyond his level, at least in taijutsu. Now for ninjutsu…

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" the Copy Ninja intoned, spitting out a decent sized fireball at his student.

The blond disappeared as the flames engulfed him. Instinctively, Kakashi sensed something was wrong and he jumped away.

Luckily for him, he narrowly avoided getting punched by the original who burst through the ground.

Kakashi frowned. Naruto seemed fond of attacking from the ground and that made him predictable.

The silver-haired nin flashed through some hand seals and shouted, "Fūton: Atsugai (Wind Style: Pressure Damage)!"

The Uzumaki gestured his hand skyward. The ground erupted and from it, a wooden hand emerged. It caught the fūton chakra and absorbed it.

"That's impressive," thought Kakashi.

As if it wasn't enough, a wooden humanoid attached to that hand continued to rise from the ground. "Mokuton: Mokujin no Jutsu (Wood Style: Wood Golem Jutsu)!" Naruto announced.

Suddenly, it ejected the fūton chakra that it had gathered in its palm, essentially redirecting the attack at Kakashi.

With no choice, the Copy Ninja slammed his hands together in front of his left eye. The tomoes spun and merged before warping into a pinwheel pattern.

"Kamui," Kakashi uttered.

A distortion in space-time formed in front of the wind technique, blowing (no pun intended) it into his dimension. The jōnin continued and absorbed the wooden golem after he was done with the fūton chakra.

By the time he was done, Naruto was long gone. Kakashi was wary as he was vulnerable in this state, having expended much chakra to utilitise a technique that was not of his own heritage. Quickly, he slid his hitaite down to cover his dōjutsu.

Even in his fatigue, the jōnin knew that he was definitely nearby and kept his guard up. A sharp whistling sound caught his attention.

Projectiles came flying at him, and he had no choice but to deflect them with a kunai of his own. As he knocked the shurikens away from him, they dispersed into smoke and became shadow clones.

"Henge?" thought Kakashi. This was an interesting strategy; who knew a basic Academy jutsu could be used for something like this?

They charged at him, but the jōnin was not famous without reason. "Raikiri!" he yelled, before attempting to use Shape Transformation to dispel the clones by an electric discharge.

Though it was not as powerful as he wished it would be, the resulting technique yielded the result Kakashi had hoped for and took out all the shadow clones in his vicinity.

Now, where was the blond? His question was answered by five black orbs shooting towards him at high speeds. Something told him that deflecting them would be a _bad_ idea.

Once again, his instincts saved his life. Kakashi dodged the highly destructive Truth-Seeking Balls, which slammed into a tree trunk instead. Now that Naruto had mastered onmyōton, their annihilative powers were tremendously amplified, instantly obliterating everything they touched. _Everything_. Well, except the blond himself.

Where it was (relatively) safe before to get hit by a shakujō formed from it - as what had transpired during their first bell test - now, Kakashi would be lucky to even live after just touching it.

The silver-haired jōnin sighed. The spar would certainly be over soon, and probably not in his favour, too.

However, he was still his student's teacher. He shouldn't lose to his disciple, regardless of how powerful he was. Well, he could at least try. Reluctantly, Kakashi drew a kunai and lifted his headband. Back to battle it was.

Sunagakure

The Godaime Kazekage glanced at the village he held dear to him. The young leader would never forget the lesson he learnt about love from a blond friend of his. If need be, he would lay down his life for his village, the one that once scorned him for what he held.

And tonight, it seemed like exactly the time he would uphold that promise to his whole village.

Gaara was gazing at the night sky when a bird flying overhead caught his attention. It wasn't an ordinary bird - it was completely white and was about ten times bigger than an albatross. This bird wasn't native to Suna, making Gaara narrow his eyes in suspicion.

Upon closer inspection, there was a figure cloaked in black riding atop it, which explained why the Kazekage didn't notice him earlier against the background of the dark night. Dotted on that cloak were red clouds.

He had heard of this before; the man was most likely a member of the Akatsuki after Shukaku. Gaara infused some chakra and prepared for battle.

Suddenly, sand shot forth from the desert towards the airborne intruder, eliciting an evasive response. The Kazekage repeatedly attempted to capture the man with his sand for the next five minutes, albeit unsuccessfully. This drew the attention of his shinobi below, who though couldn't assist in the airborne battle, were providing some level of moral support for their leader.

The man was constantly ahead as the bird was rather swift in flight, making him a pain in the neck to catch.

Finally, he retaliated by tossing blobs of clay modelled in the likeness of birds. They flew towards Gaara, who used his sand to intercept them.

They immediately exploded on contact, leading the Kazekage to deduce that this was Deidara from Iwagakure, a nukenin known for his tendencies to blow up villages. It seemed that he did so through a special type of explosive - detonating clay.

The Suna shinobi below were alarmed by the explosions, and quickly, began to evacuate the civilians into the town hall.

Meanwhile, Gaara resorted to using the sand from his gourd, which moved far faster than sand from the desert as it was heavily loaded with chakra. This caught Deidara off guard because he did not expect the speed to have increased so greatly.

It managed to latch onto his left arm. Deidara took the opportunity while his left hand was still trapped inside Gaara's personal sand and mixed his detonating clay into it.

The Kazekage closed his fist. "Sabaku Sōsō!" The sand encasing Deidara's arm closed in and crushed it completely, detaching it from his main body.

The nukenin flinched but did not cry out in pain. Quickly, he flew away. Meanwhile, he released more bombs at the Kazekage, who returned his personal sand quickly to his side.

It wrapped around Gaara like a ball and shielded him from the explosions. The redhead then opened a hole to see what the blond was doing.

"Heh, he won't be expecting this," thought Deidara as he grabbed majority of the clay left in his pouch. He moulded a doll with a scary face.

Deidara flung it between them, but it stopped in the middle of the two combatants. In a burst of smoke, the ghastly creation expanded to epic proportions.

Gaara's eyes widened. That bomb was _way_ bigger than any one of those things should be.

Literally, Deidara dropped the bomb. It plunged down towards Sunagakure instead of the Kazekage, and by the looks of it, the village would soon cease to exist.

""Shī Surī (C3)… geijutsu wa bakuhatsu da! **KATSU**!" Deidara screamed. The titanic clay statue detonated, producing an explosion that brought up a great amount of smoke. All seemed to be doomed.

When the haze cleared, a large brown mass of sand could be seen hovering over the village. Gaara had single-handedly delivered Sunagakure from utter destruction with his personal sand, but it had taken a lot out of him.

Deidara smirked and slid his hand into his pouch, seizing the remaining clay. His nimble fingers pressed and danced quickly across it, transforming it into a bird which he chucked at Gaara.

It took off straight for the Kazekage who was still panting from exhausting that much chakra. However, he managed to will his sand to wrap around him completely and close him off from the world around.

The bird bombarded harmlessly against the sand. Deidara was unfazed as he had expected the Kazekage to do so; after all, he had planned long beforehand for this.

The detonating clay he had mixed into Gaara's personal sand earlier began to emerge within the sphere the Kazekage had created to protect himself, and at point blank range, he would be susceptible to damage.

"Katsu!" Deidara shouted. Within the shell of sand, the distinct boom of explosives rang out. For a moment, all was silent.

The sand holding up the sphere began to crack, before falling apart completely to reveal a Gaara still suspended by his own sand, and very much alive. Cracks marred his face - evidence of his Sand Armour.

Now that its integrity had been compromised, the redhead no longer had a functioning defence between him and the blond. All it would take was one more strike.

At the same time, he was also aware - the sand that he had used to shield Suna was also his personal sand, meaning that it also had traces of explosive clay within. Gaara would have to shift the entire mass away from the village or the village would be doomed once again.

With great agony, the Godaime willed the massive block of sand to shift away from the centre of the village to its outskirts. Deidara watched, but did not attack him. This way, the Kazekage would exhaust himself.

And he was right. As soon as Gaara let go of the sand and dropped it into the desert outside of Suna, any remaining chakra left was drained from him.

Deidara immediately seized the opportunity and flew towards him atop his bird. Before the Suna-nin below could assist their leader, the nukenin captured the Kazekage and flew away, earning screams of anguish from the people of Suna.

He didn't look back.

Eastern Sea, Two Days Later

The captain of the ship burst into the bunk. "Ma'am, we're under attack by the patrol!" The young lady nodded and quickly grabbed her swords before ascending the stairs to the deck.

On the deck, fights between the rebels and the loyalists were already beginning. A patrol boat was roughly ten metres away from the _Kirikuria_ , tethered to it by ropes.

The Kiri coast guards, marked by Kiri headbands and an armband emblazoned with their organisation's logo, had jumped onto deck to engage the rebels.

She scanned the area where clashes were happening. There were fifteen coast guards and twenty crewmen.

Without a word, she took off for the nearest enemy and blitzed him with a punch. He didn't see it coming and was knocked into the water, already unconcious before he even hit the surface.

She sensed an attack coming from behind and so she spun around while drawing her tsurugi from its sheath.

The razor-sharp edge of the Tenpenchii sliced the soft tissue of his forearm easily, disorientating him with pain and causing him to drop his weapon.

The lass finished him off with a fatal blow to his skull. She found her next target just as he found her.

The guard pumped water out of his mouth at her, fully expecting the young woman to be blown away. Instead, she seemingly vanished without a trace.

"Where-?" It was too late as his torso was torn violently in half by the girl's sword from behind. While her back was turned, another guard took the opportunity to thrust his kunai at her.

Before his kunai reached her, he was suddenly thrown overboard - by nobody. The remaining guards had already noticed that the main threat was the lass on deck. Quickly, they turned their attention to her.

The young lady flicked her tsurugi to get rid of some of the blood on it before returning the blade to its sheath.

The guard closest to her raised his sword in an obvious downward swipe. She sighed internally at the poor swordsmanship these days.

Before he could even complete the swing, the young woman caught his sword by its hilt with her left hand and halted it. With just a single hand, she twisted his arm till he bent his back in pain.

The lass swiftly struck his sword hand with her knee, forcefully disarming him. She followed up with a snap of her foot and plunged it into her opponent's stomach. This sent him crashing into his comrades.

The girl moved on to the remaining ten coast guards. One of them steeled his nerves and charged at her.

She sidestepped his punch and seized his outstretched arm. Using his own momentum against him, the young woman whirled her opponent upside down and threw him onto the wooden floor with force, shattering some planks.

The lass, who was still grabbing the guard's arm, wrenched it anticlockwise and brought him great agony. She stomped on his face with her foot and knocked him out cold just as the next enemy came flying at her.

The girl leapt back and avoided the guard who slammed down on where she just was a moment ago. She drew her wakizashi as he brandished his kunai, before proceeding to engage in a rapid fire slashing match.

She proved superior and sustained no damage at all while she wholly tore his chest to shreds. Finally, she delivered the coup de grâce to his jugular, severing his windpipe as well.

The other eight grew wary of the young lady. Meanwhile, the rebels already knew to stay out of the way of their ally. They watched her in awe as she skilfully took down three more of them with just hand to hand combat alone.

Another Kiri jōnin ran towards her and stabbed a knife into her chest, however, she faded away and was replaced by another guard who hacked up blood in copious amounts.

"What just-"

The remaining guards that had stood in a group were stunned as she appeared suddenly amidst them. With a low sweep, she knocked one of them off their feet and sent him overboard.

The girl pushed off the floor and flipped overhead while yanking a kunai from her holster. She landed squarely on the shoulders of a loyalist, stabbing the steel dagger into his neck and ending his life.

After his knees buckled and he collasped to the floor, the young lady ripped the kunai out and redirected it at an incoming guard, who deflected the attack. She kicked the guard with enough force to knock out his teeth, only for him to explode in a shower of water.

"Mizu Bunshin..."

The real one dashed through the water which concealed him till the last moment, where he burst out and struck her in the neck with a kunai.

The most unexpected thing happened next: she too, dispersed in a burst of water. The jōnin was stunned, not realising that the water that had just made her up wrapped around him until it was too late. "Suiton: Suirō no Jutsu."

The water from his own Mizu Bunshin earlier rose up from the floor to become a copy of the lass, who now had a hand on the Water Prison which trapped the man. It was only a matter of time before asphyxiation overwhelmed him.

Only two guards were left standing now. They shivered despite their experience; that young lady had just took down thirteen of their comrades without much trouble, all of whom were jōnins.

This was suicide. There were twenty rebels on that deck with them, not including the girl that had easily slayed their fellow guards. They would not get out alive if they didn't run now.

Quickly, they scrambled onto the edge of the deck and leapt for their patrol boat without a thought for the unconcious friends left on board.

"Tsk… scum."

She gripped the ropes that were still tethered to their boat before they could escape. "Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu!"

Fire burst from her throat and tore down the rope quickly, shooting across its length. The guards' eyes widened in horror as they saw the approaching threat.

Just as they tried to jump from their boat, the flames engulfed their vessel and roasted them alive. The two screamed before tumbling into the water which extinguished their burning bodies.

One was out cold from the pain, while the other was still - miraculously - concious. He barely managed to keep both his teammate and himself afloat.

The young woman dragged all the bodies on board, both unconcious and dead, to the side of the deck before dumping them into the water where the two guards were.

"Take your friends with you," she spat.

The guard was surprised at this act of mercy. Finally, realisation dawned on him. He knew this girl and had seen her before in the Bingo Book. In the chaos of battle and the speed at which she fought, he had been unable to recognise her but now he knew the reason why they were beaten so easily.

For someone with power as vast as hers, she had chosen to mostly use taijutsu in that fight, and not any of her other signature techniques - another reason why she wasn't identified earlier. If they had known, they would have retreated at the very beginning, for they stood no chance against her. She had only been toying with them, the fifteen jōnins of Kirigakure. If she had so chosen, she could've dispatched all of them within a minute or less without harming a single rebel's hair or the _Kirikuria_ itself.

Now that she had practically let him go free, he wasn't about to hesitate lest she change her mind. Quickly, he grabbed the teammates that he could and swam away with them in tow.

The young lady turned back, only to find every rebel on board staring at her with reverence, awe, and some level of disbelief.

"What?" she asked, earning a flinch from every single man on the deck as if they would be her next target.

The captain cleared his throat. "Every hand on deck, return to your duties." With some murmurs, the rebels then resumed what they were doing prior to the attack.

The captain then walked closer to the girl. "Thank you, Ma'am. You were rather impressive back there and I'm sure you've gained the respect of my men. Is there anything I can do for you before we arrive on shore?"

The young lady shook her head. "I am the one who is hitching a ride here. Take it as my 'rent'," she replied with mirth. With nothing more to say, the black haired lass returned to her bunk.

The captain watched her retreating back with a wondering gaze. She was a mysterious person, and a force to be reckoned with at that. The captain was grateful to have someone like this on their side. A trump card to turn the tides of battle in their favour.

He could already taste the victory on his tongue, getting rid of the likes of Yagura and his oppression. At the same time, she could be here to gain their trust before betraying them to Yagura. Despite wanting her help, one could never be too careful with someone as powerful as her. He cast those troubling thoughts aside and continued to man the ship. Only time would tell.

Konohagakure

"Tsunade-shishō! I have urgent news from Suna!" Shizune cried as she hurried over to her teacher's desk with a scroll.

"What is it?" asked the Godaime, who took over the scroll and unfurled it. Her eyes scanned quickly across the document, written in the script she recognised as that of Temari's as she was the diplomatic liaison between Suna and Konoha and frequently wrote in.

Despite receiving no answer from Shizune, the words said enough to express the severity of the situation. Once her eyes finally left the page, Tsunade's face was one of horror.

"ANBU!" the Hokage barked. An operative appeared in a blur, kneeling before her desk.

"Bring me Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto here, as soon as possible," she ordered. The ANBU bowed his head.

"Hai!" He disappeared to carry out the Godaime's will. Tsunade's brows knitted in worry. She could only imagine Naruto's response when he hears that his friend has been kidnapped.

Ten minutes later, the three shinobi finally arrived at her office from their respective locations. The urgency with which they had been summoned led to Kakashi asking the million-dollar question, "What are we here for, Tsunade-sama?"

Her face was grave, as she replied, "Gaara, the Kazekage, has been kidnapped by the Akatsuki."

"What?!" Naruto almost shouted. "Please tell me this is a joke." The Uzumaki stared at Tsunade, who returned the gaze without changing her expression.

His fears were confirmed. "It can't be… who were they?" questioned Naruto.

"Deidara of Iwagakure. I don't have the details, but I only know that Gaara was captured during an attack on the village."

"So now what do we do?" asked Sakura.

"Suna has requested for a search and rescue team from us, so I gathered you three. Though Naruto is a jinchūriki, I'm confident he can handle the Akatsuki. I'm sure you would like to rescue your friend, right?"

The Uzumaki nodded. "Yes, and thank you for giving me this opportunity." "To crush the Akatsuki," Naruto thought in anger.

"Alright then. Pack up and make your way to Suna. They'll update you on the details and how to find Gaara," Tsunade stated.

"Why can't they do this themselves though?" Sakura queried curiously. "The Akatsuki compose of S-rank nukenin that work in pairs. Given that they weren't able to stop Gaara's capture, it's no surprise they wouldn't be able to retrieve him on their own," Kakashi answered.

"Not to mention his partner, Akasuna no Sasori," Naruto added. He was starting to feel impatient. Every second they wasted here was every second that Gaara could be killed.

"Can we go now? Gaara needs us," Naruto urged. Kakashi nodded, sensing his student's unrest.

The blond saluted before leaving. The other members of Team 7 quickly followed him out the door.

As the mahogany door closed, Tsunade released a troubled sigh.

"Shizune, get me some sake."

Mizu no Kuni

Everyone aboard the _Kirikuria_ disembarked. The captain ushered the young lady to a subterranean hideout where all the rebels were gathered.

From her observation, there were roughly only a hundred bloodline users left, which definitely wasn't good for troop morale.

Despite their innate talents, the loyalist army was far larger in size and outnumbered them a hundred to one.

The captain brought the lass to his leader, a tall, older woman with auburn hair dressed in blue. She seemed surprised to see the girl, which wasn't unexpected. How often did one get to encounter an S-rank ninja rumoured to be more powerful than a Kage?

Additionally, the leader was jealous of her beauty. The younger female was more gorgeous than her, and that was saying a lot as the woman was a stunning looker herself.

Waving those thoughts aside, she brought the two to a room that served as a makeshift office. The room was dimly lit by flaming torches on the walls because the underground facility was supposed to be secret, and electricity was not a resource that could be afforded, much less tapped into here.

The captain introduced, "This is Terumī Mei, leader of the Kiri rebel forces. And Mei-sama… I believe there is no need for introduction?"

Mei nodded. "I know very well who you are. It's a pleasure to meet a young kunoichi in this world with such power."

The lass replied customarily, "You think too highly of me, Terumī-san. I'm here to offer my help for your rebellion."

The captain reported, "She single-handedly took out the patrol of fifteen jōnins who attacked us while we were on the way here. Though she left one alive to take his friends back with him."

Mei raised an eyebrow. "Though I appreciate it, why would you want to help us? Is there anything in it for Konoha?"

The girl fought off a scowl. "I do not wish to affiliate myself with the Leaf, despite the moniker I have been given. As for why, it's to test the capacity of my own abilities. Ten thousand shinobi should be an interesting fight."

The Terumī was bemused by her answer but didn't probe further. She was well aware of the depth of the power Konoha's Thunder Goddess possessed, and how much it would boost the war effort. In fact, if the tales of her numerous exploits were true, she could possibly take on the enemy alone and still come out on top.

"Alright then, thank you for your offer, we really need your help in this. If you don't mind me asking, why did you leave one coast guard alive? Wouldn't he go back and inform Yagura, who will prepare for your presence?"

The young lady smirked. "That just makes it all the more fun. Nothing better than crushing the enemy when they are convinced that they are ready."

Mei let out an amused laugh. It may have sounded arrogant or overconfident from someone else, but she knew that the kunoichi before her was capable of what she just said.

The rebel leader stood up and shook the girl's hand. "We look forward to working with you, Uchiha-san."

The firelight from the torches danced in Sayuri's noir eyes, and illuminated the playful smirk which traced her lips.

"As do I."

Author's Notes:

It probably wasn't a big surprise that the girl was Sayuri, but I hoped it at least kept y'all in (a teeny little bit of) suspense. I'm aware that this chapter wasn't as emotionally charged as the previous one, instead being more action-oriented, and for that I apologise. Stay tuned for the next chapter, and have a merry Christmas! Rate and review :)

Until tomorrow,

Ja Ne


	18. Kakumei

Asura's Transmigrant

Chapter 18: Kakumei/Revolution

Previously:

"As do I."

That evening, they planned the following morning's attack on Kirigakure. Sayuri would take on the whole loyalist army by herself, while Mei and her subordinates would focus on taking out Yagura.

Whichever person finished first would go round to the other and help finish off the enemy.

Sayuri stayed up at night to polish her swords in preparation for the upcoming battle. While she was cleaning the Tenpenchii, she received a visitor - Chōjūrō, one of the Seven Swordsmen Of The Mist.

He was Mei's right-hand man, but despite his abilities, was a shy individual. Chōjūrō asked meekly and politely if he could see the Tenpenchii.

Seeing that he was so fascinated with her sword, Sayuri handed her blade over with an amused expression. The master swordsman studied the tsurugi closely, keeping it at a distance as if he was afraid he would taint it. The Uchiha restrained herself from laughing at his face as his mouth went wider and wider by the second in awe and reverence.

"The craftsmanship is so exquisite… may I ask who was the swordsmith?" Chōjūrō queried. Sayuri replied, "His name is Shinho Akeba, and he is the master blacksmith of Nami no Kuni."

The blue-haired man returned the Tenpenchii to its owner. "Thank you for allowing me the great joy of holding your sword. It is definitely comparable in quality to one of the seven swords of Kiri, and perhaps I should pay Nami a visit after this is over. Well then, I shan't disturb you further. Sorry for intruding."

Sayuri shook her head. "No problem there. See you tomorrow." The man left her to resume her sword polishing. The following day would be exciting, and she could hardly wait for it to begin.

The Uchiha returned her sword to its sheath. She then unsealed a small black box from her scroll and opened it.

Sayuri smiled fondly at the earrings within as they filled her with a sense of nostalgia. They were gifted to her by the person she loved most, so she supposed that it could be treated as a lucky charm for tomorrow. Well, not like she needed any luck but it was always good to have the feeling that he was by her side.

The Next Morning

The rebels moved out as planned, dropping around to the back of the village to take out Yagura. Meanwhile, Sayuri boldly came by the front to deal with the loyalist army, who as expected, had come prepared.

This was such that they were fighting in lands in front of the village, rather than the village itself - that was also fine with the Uchiha as Mei didn't want Kiri to be destroyed either.

At this point, they were on a great expanse of grassland that ran for miles. Rolling hills dotted the background far in the distance, and the sky was similarly marked with clouds.

In both senses of the word, it was really a champaign - both an open, level countryside, as well as a battlefield.

On one side, stood the loyal men of Yagura. Soldiers of the Bloody Mist, and enforcers of oppression. There were ten thousand of them, so it seemed rather ridiculous that they were fearful of the single person standing on the other side of the plain.

The girl was anything but afraid. She never felt more alive; her blood was pumping and her body was ready for action. She only hoped that these Kiri-nin wouldn't disappoint her and would actually put up a fight.

"Uchiha Sayuri, we, the shinobi of Kirigakure, hereby issue an ultimatum," declared who she presumed to be the commander, "Surrender now, or we shall use lethal force to end you."

The answer they received was a scornful laugh.

"How about this? I came here to fight you all, so surrendering kind of ruins that. Let's not waste more time, and get this started."

Sayuri stood there as the sun shone, casting its radiant glow on her face and illuminating her beauty for all to see. Like the environment, the Uchiha's right eye brightened as well, bleeding from pitch black to a deep vermilion. Three tomoes spun hypnotically in a ring around her black pupil and gleamed in the early morning sun.

A sudden wind blew across the fields and made her hair sway. One of her bangs flew aside, revealing her left eye which was way more terrifying than her right. Its regal periwinkle glow, coupled with the concentric rings and its six commas, sent out only a single word - power.

The Uchiha smirked. Well then, it was time.

She took a step forward. Despite their numbers, many soldiers gulped.

Then another step. And another. Some began praying to their respective deities; and all were sweating even though the battle had yet to begin.

With each foot, she opened the pace before finally breaking into a full sprint.

Kirigakure's soldiers finally mustered their courage and exploded into war cries. The shinobi army began to run at her as they roared. The commander cried, "Whatever you do, never look directly into her eyes!"

Saying it was one thing, and doing it was another. It was difficult to fight an enemy whose face you couldn't look at. And besides, it wouldn't make much of a difference anyways.

Sayuri tore through the enemy ranks like a hot knife through butter, blasting the first hundred or so men aside in a flash of blue.

She ground to a halt in the middle and began to engage in taijutsu. Enemies came at her as quickly as she dispatched them.

The Uchiha's Sharingan spun rapidly, swiftly deciphering and predicting the Kiri-nin's movements.

She slammed her fist into one and threw him away before ducking down to avoid the swipe of a staff. Once it passed overhead, Sayuri shot her foot out in a kick that took its wielder out.

Another one came at her with a sloppy fist which she evaded, then retaliated with a powerful strike that knocked him out.

The next one swung his sword at her. The Uchiha dodged it easily as she could read his sword swings. She seized the handle and kicked the man's stomach, making him fly away while "borrowing" his katana.

With his sword still in her hand, she spun around and plunged it into another's chest just as he approached her from behind.

Sayuri leapt up and landed in another section of the army twenty metres away. The Uchiha swerved to the side to avoid a sword before jumping up and executing a roundhouse kick that sent the jōnin flying away.

The next one came at her. She sidestepped and grabbed his hand. With a swing, she tossed the man like a ragdoll, flinging him towards another chūnin.

A Kiri-nin swiped downwards with his kunai, but she stopped his swing short and took him down with a throw. Sayuri knocked the kunai out of his hand and grabbed it.

She stabbed him with it and ducked to avoid another sword swing before pulling it out and slicing the swordsman with it.

Sayuri manoeuvred away quickly as yet another jōnin lunged at her with his kunai. She dodged it and jumped upwards before propelling her foot into his face.

She landed and spun around with a punch, taking out another opponent. The Uchiha then drew the Tenpenchii and slashed a chūnin's chest.

She turned around just as a Kiri-nin attempted a vertical swing from behind. Her sword clashed against his in a parry and knocked it out from his hands.

With her free hand, she threw a fist that propelled him away. Sayuri ran forward and cut down another foe. Swiftly, she twisted around and dodged another assault while slashing the attacker.

Someone tried to dash by her with a tantō but she stepped forward and avoided it. Sayuri dug her heel and whirled around quickly, tearing the length of her sword edge across the assailant's back.

The next Kiri-nin tried a full-frontal attack, charging at her. Sayuri took a step to the left and evaded his reckless sword thrust. She finished him off by decapitation from behind. The Uchiha then fended off the next enemy with a slash to his side before returning the Tenpenchii to its sheath.

A jōnin threw a kunai attached to an explosive tag at her. She caught it by the handle and ripped off the explosive tag.

Sayuri slapped said tag onto the nearest kunoichi, then redirected the kunai back at its owner's neck. She then performed a tornado kick on the kunoichi, launching her at her comrades while she desperately attempted to remove the explosive tag from her person.

It was to no avail as it exploded and took out the surrounding Kiri-nin as well. Meanwhile, the Uchiha continued on her rampage and took out hundreds more in similar fashion, sweeping through the loyalists in minutes.

She caught the arm of one jōnin and twisted it as another came from behind with a kunai stab. Without looking back, Sayuri wrenched the first jōnin's arm backwards, bringing him excruciating pain while simultaneously evading the kunai.

She jumped up just as hands burst from the floor and attempted to catch her - a doton user. While in mid-air, she shot out both her feet at the two shinobi she was just engaging and knocked them away.

Sayuri seized a kunai from her holster and plunged it into the emerging doton user as she landed, penetrating his windpipe.

The Uchiha leapt forward and engaged in a kenjutsu match. The swordsman actually put up a semblance of a fight (compared to his comrades), but alas, was overwhelmed by her speed and was taken down as well.

She grabbed him by the collar as she saw incoming projectiles. Sayuri raised the body as a meat shield, then set it down and lunged at the next one just as he was about to swing his sword down in a chop.

The man made the mistake of looking into her hypnotic eyes, which penetrated his mind with its powerful genjutsu. Illusionary shackles materialised around the chūnin and paralysed him, allowing the Uchiha to dispatch him quickly.

A jōnin with a special sword charged with lightning came at her next. She ducked the first swipe, and weaved around the second. Finally, she smacked it away with just her left hand alone.

Her right hand flew to his neck and lifted him off the floor in a chokehold. "Do you want to dance, too?"

Suddenly, a current of wind rocketed towards her from one of the shinobi nearby. Sayuri dropped the man after crushing his neck before facing the onslaught.

The Uchiha willingly let herself get blasted by it, so the only thing the wind did was to carry her up and away from the army.

Once it lost power, the girl backflipped and landed - perfect time for a wide-range ninjutsu as she was now facing the entire army rather than being in the midst of it. After all, why would she let herself get hit when she could easily absorb or deflect it?

Sayuri's hands formed the Horse hand seal. She took a breath as katon chakra kneaded within her lungs.

"Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku!" she intoned, expelling a powerful wave of white-hot flames which surged towards Kirigakure's shinobi.

"Her jutsu is enormous!" screamed one of the Kiri-nin in horror. Hundreds of shinobi lined up shoulder to shoulder and retaliated with a combination jutsu.

"Suiton: Suijinheki (Water Style: Water Wall)!" they chorused as they pumped out a torrent of suiton chakra that served as both a counter and a defence.

The two techniques collided. For a few tense seconds, both sides continued to pump out chakra in order to overwhelm the other. Inevitably, mist erupted in great volume from the point of collision and spread out over the entire battlefield.

Perfect. Sayuri charged at them in an electric blue blur as she flashed through hand seals. "Katon: Gōenka (Fire Style: Flame Flower)!"

A multitude of fireballs sailed through the air towards the army, and even with kanchi-nin, the loyalists were unprepared to defend against such a threat.

It rained fire upon the enemy and easily destroyed any attempt at earth style shelters or water style counters.

Meanwhile, Sayuri was already fighting among the Kiri-nin, capitalising on the mist which reduced visibility while it was still there, although most of them could still move around comfortably due to their natural environment.

Most shinobi only saw a flash of red, purple and blue before their head left their shoulders. With terrifying efficiency, the Uchiha decimated the enemy ranks.

"Suiton: Mizurappa (Water Style: Wild Water Wave)!" a kunoichi yelled, shooting a large jet of water at Sayuri.

The black-haired beauty struck the floor with her palm. "Chikushodō!" An array of fūinjutsu script shot out quickly and summoning smoke erupted from it.

The stream of water ricocheted off her giant crab harmlessly. The crustacean dispelled, followed by purple flames which took its place. A giant head rose from the floor and opened its mouth.

A long tongue fired out of it and seized the kunoichi, eliciting a scream. The King Of Hell swung its tongue and released its victim towards Sayuri.

As she came flying towards her, the Uchiha raised her hand. "Shinra Tensei." An invisible force exploded from her body and pushed away everything in its path including the airborne kunoichi, who was tossed away.

Just as the King Of Hell sank back into the earth, a jōnin with a broadsword roared a war cry before charging at Sayuri and swinging it towards her in a wide arc.

Almost immediately, a purple aura encased the Uchiha and materialised into an ethereal skeleton. The jōnin and his sword was repelled with such great force that he landed 20 metres away.

Flesh manifested around the skeleton, followed by undulating chakra swords at the hands. Sayuri swung the blades in a circular motion across the floor, sweeping and killing hundreds of unprepared shinobi at once.

Many resorted to using ninjutsu against her, but it was pointless due to the protective purple envelope which repelled all attacks.

With more chakra, Sayuri formed two more arms along with two more blades. The chakra construct raised its hands, then smashed all four down simultaneously. A powerful shockwave rippled out from it and wrecked everyone in the way. Those closest to the impact died while others got off with injuries.

The next wave of shinobi came at her once her Susanoo was deactivated - on purpose. She ran at the nearest one and jumped up, applying a flying kick to the face. Sayuri pushed off and flipped onto the shoulders of a genin, forcing him down onto the floor before punching him with enough force to knock him out.

A blade was swung at her, but she caught the assailant's hand before it could connect. She inhaled, then shouted, "Katon: Haijingakure no Jutsu (Fire Style: Hiding In Ash Jutsu)!" Sayuri expelled a large cloud of ash which further obscured the view of the Kiri-nin.

While they could work relatively well in the mist, they did not stand a chance in the Uchiha's ash cloud - especially since it burnt their skin upon contact. All those nearest to the ash fell to the ground in pain as they felt a fiery sensation engulf their very beings.

The rest were smarter and kept their distance... not like they could for long. The Eye Of The Six Paths glowed while she intoned, "Banshō Tenin."

Her right eye then warped into the pattern of an atom model as she activated its Flame Control ability. "Enton: Honoikazuchi!"

The Flames of Hell erupted from the ground and encircled Sayuri before turning into spikes which impaled all the Kiri-nin that flew towards her.

The Uchiha then wielded the flames with a purple skeletal fist, transforming them into a large sword. She swept the floor with the Flame Control Blade and instantly incinerated two dozen shinobi.

Sayuri's Susanoo evolved to its Level 3 Form as she slammed her hands together, then opened them. In between them was a black orb that shot into the sky.

Sayuri shouted, "Chibaku Tensei!" The earth started shaking. Cracks appeared in the field before the ground suddenly erupted, sending chunks flying upwards towards the black orbs.

"W-What's happening?!" screamed a shinobi in alarm. Those nearby started to gravitate towards the core as well, eventually trapping them in the huge ball of rock.

The remaining three thousand Kiri-nin were shaken, and rightfully so. Sayuri's Susanoo was now extremely tall, armoured from tip to toe.

Electricity converged in the left hand of the purple warrior in copious amounts. Telekinetically commanding the Chibaku Tensei satellite to drop towards her, the Uchiha thrusted the Chidori towards it and announced, "Chidori: Hoshikudaki (Chidori: Planet Splitter)."

Raiton chakra easily tore through the rocky sphere, producing a gigantic electric explosion that was visible even from space. The shattered pieces of the satellite began to fall towards the remaining shinobi.

Sayuri grinned as she formed the Seal Of Confrontation. "Tengai Ryūsei (Skyline Meteor)!" The smaller, but still significant pieces of rubble from the broken satellite began to pick up speed as they plunged, catching fire in the process.

Many shinobi trembled in fear and dropped their weapons. A few laughed, a laugh of resignation that their fates were sealed.

"This… this is way out of our league," a chūnin remarked fearfully. The jōnin next to him nodded in agreement, watching helplessly as thousands of meteorites fell towards them.

They bombarded the ground with the force of fifty Tailed Beast Bombs, utterly obliterating the landscape and creating an explosion that could be felt across two-thirds the length of the Elemental Nations, in lands as far away as Suna. What was once a vast expanse was no more; now, it was merely a wasteland of craters the size of thirty Academy buildings.

All that remained was the descending purple titan, which reduced in size till all that was left was a violet shroud of chakra around Sayuri.

With her legendary dōjutsu, the Uchiha surveyed the environment. Not a single blade of grass was present in the rubble, which consisted mainly of rocks littered with countless cadavers.

Sayuri exhaled as her multi-coloured eyes faded into their usual black, bringing her protective envelope with it.

"Now, time to deal with Yagura," thought the Uchiha. A lightning-coloured shroud surged around the girl, before she took off like a burst of wind.

When she got to Mei and her subordinates, she saw a swirling distortion in the air just a second before it disappeared.

The rebel leader was panting hard, a scowl painted on her face. Ao and Chōjūrō were exhibiting a similar behaviour.

Many rebel corpses were strewn across the grass which they fought on, while the remaining were clearly exhausted from fighting. Well, not like Sayuri didn't expect this; Yagura was a Kage after all. But that swirling distortion…

"It seems that I'm too late. What happened?" the Uchiha questioned. The Terumī replied, "We almost had him. We were about to kill Yagura when a man with an orange mask appeared and said, 'He's mine' before seemingly absorbing him into his eye…"

Sayuri's fist tightened. A swirling distortion centred around the eye. If that wasn't Kamui, she had no other explanation. But that meant that it was an Uchiha - and she only knew of one other Uchiha roaming the Elemental Nations.

"Nii-san…" Yet, she remembered that night, when her brother used Tsukuyomi on her. Kamui was an ability wielded by both eyes, so it was impossible for Itachi to have it unless he had the power of Indra like she did.

Though she did not like it, her final conclusion made the most sense - that there was another Uchiha out there, one that no one knew. This was startling and distressing news, as her next questions were: Who is he? How did he survive the clan massacre?

Unfortunately, there was nothing that could answer her questions now. All she could deduce was that the unknown Uchiha had been there for Yagura's bijū. Which likely meant that this man was from the Akatsuki - the very same organisation her brother had joined.

That gave her even more reason to seek out Itachi and eradicate him, for if she did not do it, her beloved would be the next target - and she would die before she let that happen. Her next priority would be to locate Akatsuki and find her sibling, as well as understand the mystery surrounding this relative of hers.

"Mei-san, although I'd very much like to stay for your inauguration, I have my own duties to attend to. Thank you for giving me this chance to test myself," Sayuri spoke up, though she realised the last line sounded eerily like her brother's last words to her.

Mei smiled. "We should be the ones thanking you. Alright then, we shall not hold you back any further. I wish you Kami-sama's blessings in your endeavours; once again, on behalf of my people, thank you very much."

Sayuri replied as her form began to radiate a shroud of lightning, "You're welcome." With that, she disappeared without a trace.

With Naruto

"These bastards will pay," the blond swore as he rushed in the direction of Deidara and Sasori impatiently, with his team and an old lady from Suna - Chiyo - following closely behind.

The grandmother of Sasori responded, "Child, I understand your urgency, but it would be wise to calm down before you engage the Akatsuki. My grandson is a master of trickery and no doubt he already has something up his sleeve."

Kakashi sighed but it was understandable why his student felt this way. Gaara was a jinchūriki just like Naruto, and the Uzumaki must've felt a personal bond with the Kazekage. To lose a friend to the same organisation that would undoubtedly come for him was certainly infuriating. After losing his other… friend… the Hatake was certain that Naruto did not intend to lose another person precious to him.

The Uzumaki growled as he extended his sensory range. "I found them. They're hiding in that rock formation, half-left, 300 metres away."

Sakura's hand shifted to her kunai holster. As she drew closer to the cliff hideout, her anticipation for battle heightened. Suddenly, a sound like thunder rumbled in the distance, and for a few tense moments, the ground quivered just slightly and the nearby trees shook. Little did they know that it was the effect of their former teammate's technique, on the opposite side of the Elemental Nations.

"What was that…?" thought Sakura. "Never mind that, Gaara is more important," Naruto said, startling the Haruno. "I sense five seals in the vicinity; we should proceed with caution," warned Naruto as he detected five seals imbued with chakra around the rock formation. It was probably a barrier of some kind.

Kakashi asked the Uzumaki to make a shadow clone which went ahead to scout. "Boss, it's a Gofū Kekkai (Five Seal Barrier)," the kage bunshin reported mentally. "Summon four more clones to dismantle it," the original ordered. "Hai!"

"Sakura, could you do me a favour?" asked Naruto. "Hmm?" "Did you pick up super strength from Lady Tsunade?" The tone in his voice and his respectful honorific told her that he was serious.

"Yes." "At my signal, could you blast a hole in the boulder right in front of us?" She nodded, and took a deep breath as a visible blue aura began to emanate from her fist.

Kakashi held his breath as he braced for the display of strength that was to come. "Now!" Naruto exclaimed as his clones ripped off the five pieces of parchment.

Sakura sprinted forth, and after cocking back her fist, threw it with great force at the rock entrance. A powerful shockwave radiated outward from the point of impact and reduced the boulder into nothing more than fragments of rubble.

Naruto rushed forward, not even stopping to admire the effects of Sakura's punch. Inside, there was a huge cavernous area, with a large statue occupying much of the space.

The statue had nine eyes, of which only one was open. "The Gedō Mazō..." Naruto muttered. He had only heard of it, but never imagined the husk of the Jūbi to be this menacing.

More importantly, the motionless body of Gaara laid in front of the statue. "GAARA!" Naruto shouted in anguish. His chakra was practically gone, and Naruto could feel that his life force was absent.

He heard a low chuckle and looked up. Somewhere on the statue, two figures were perched. One was a blond with a ponytail, and an odd looking device strapped atop his left eye. Further away on the other side of the statue was a considerably shorter… creature. It didn't feel right to call him a human as his shape resembled a turtle with a cloak draped over him.

"Looks like the Kyūbi jinchūriki decided to deliver himself to our doorstep," the shorter figure stated. Deidara smirked. "You're too late, Uzumaki Naruto. The Kazekage is dead, and you're next-"

"Damare." Naruto spoke in an authoritative tone, startling his teammates. "Sakura, look away." She didn't understand, but did as asked as she dared not question his now scary voice.

Suddenly, a large tear ripped across Deidara's cloak and a long laceration appeared on his chest in a flash of orange. The nukenin's eyes widened in shock and pain as his eyes finally caught up with the Uzumaki's speed and registered his blurred form right in front of him.

Not a second later and Naruto had already fired a kick at his core, propelling the bomber to the other end of the cave.

Naruto flicked the blood off his legendary blade before sheathing and sealing it. "Sakura, you can look now," Naruto said before he jumped after Deidara who had just removed himself from the small crater he had formed. The man blew a hole in the ceiling with one of his bombs and escaped atop his clay bird.

Kakashi quickly ordered, "We'll let Naruto deal with Deidara while we take on Sasori!" Sakura nodded and turned to face the short figure who was no doubt a puppet.

With Naruto

The Uzumaki ascended to Six Paths Sage Mode in a fraction of a second and flew after the airborne Akatsuki member. "You're not getting away!" yelled Naruto.

Deidara wanted so desperately to give a "Hn", but knew that only a wrangled scream would emerge from his mouth due to the agony from the sword strike he had received. Instead, he opted to mould a destructive fleet of explosive birds.

They left his hand and homed in on Naruto. The Uzumaki flicked his fingers, causing his Gūdo Dama to manifest as thin rods that intercepted each bird. With the clench of a fist, the rods expanded into miniature spheres that destroyed the clay avians.

Deidara then launched multiple bombs of every size and shape towards Naruto from every direction, forcing the blond to surround himself with a Truth-Seeking Ball to shield himself from the bombardment. When the Kyūbi jinchūriki removed the protection around him, the Iwa nukenin had already disappeared from his line of sight.

Though his eyes could not detect him, Naruto's sensory range proved far more useful in finding the missing man; the nukenin was behind him and approaching fast.

Deidara should've known better than to attempt outmanoeuvring the Konoha-nin, especially since he could fly independently while the bomber was less nimble due to his reliance on his bird.

Naruto dodged as the Iwa nukenin flew past. The bomber flung an explosive straight at his face, but Naruto deactivated his Rikudō Senjutsu and plunged towards the forests below.

A wooden pillar burst from the ground directly below Naruto, who flipped and landed on it. He jumped off it like a springboard while weaving a sequence of hand seals. "Mokuton: Sashiki no Jutsu (Wood Style: Cutting Sprigs Jutsu)!" the Uzumaki intoned as he landed on the grassy floor.

The pillar he was previously on turned into a machine gun. Its surface bristled with wooden spikes that launched themselves at the airborne Akatsuki member, and unbeknownst to him, was slowly guiding him into Naruto's line of fire by forcing him to evade them in a particular fashion.

The Uzumaki's right arm glowed as orange chakra coalesced into a single point, before expanding into a giant Rasengan with four giant chakra blades protruding out of the centre. This was a more powerful variation of his newest technique, the Rasenshuriken, augmented with Asura's chakra which gave it its characteristic cadmium hue.

The loud screeching sound finally caught Deidara's attention amidst trying to evade the wooden projectiles. "What the-"

"Senpō: Rasenshuriken (Sage Art: Rasenshuriken)!" Naruto yelled as he hurled the massive chakra fūma shuriken at the other blond. It sliced through the air quickly and headed straight for the nukenin, who quickly swerved aside to avoid it.

However, the Rasenshuriken expanded rapidly at Naruto's command and detonated in mid-air, catching Deidara off guard and blowing him out of the sky.

The man crashed onto the grass near Naruto, who closed the gap quickly and stabbed him with a kunai.

"Hn," a voice from behind smirked. "Katsu!" The Deidara that was stabbed exploded, revealing it to be a clay clone and taking out the Uzumaki in the process.

Naruto shattered into a million wooden splinters, prompting the nukenin to realise that something was amiss.

"You seem to love explosions very much... try this!" the real Naruto shouted. He launched an explosive shadow clone at Deidara, who quickly slammed his hands onto the floor.

"Doton: Doryūheki (Earth Style: Mud Wall)!" From the ground, a large rampart rose to shield the Iwa-nin from the incoming ballistic missile. The ensuing blast rocked the wall harmlessly, merely causing a few fractures in the reinforced wall.

The Uzumaki's hands then came together in the Snake hand seal. "Mokuton Hijutsu: Jukai Kōtan (Wood Style Secret Jutsu: Deep Forest Emergence)!" Almost immediately, the ground began to quake as hundreds of tree trunks sprouted from the forest floor. Branches grew from the main stems rapidly and expanded into humongous trunks from which more branches sprung; some began to ensnare Deidara, who tried in vain to escape.

"Mokuton: Kajukai Kōrin (Wood Style: Deep Forest Bloom)," Naruto muttered, causing pink flowers of tremendous size to bud. Their petals unfurled and released a haze of yellow pollen unto the Iwa nukenin, who succumbed to the incapacitating agent.

The Uzumaki's gaze hardened as he sent some airborne minute plant ovaries into Deidara's system for fertilisation, allowing them to grow exponentially with some chakra. "You will rue the day you killed my friend," Naruto said darkly within earshot of Deidara.

As Naruto turned around and walked away, plants of titanic proportions burst out of Deidara's body, causing it to explode before the nukenin could even fall unconcious. There was no time to scream as blood splattered against the trunks of the massive tree that germinated.

"The Curse of Hatred," thought Asura in Naruto's mindscape. "Anija… I will not lose."

With Kakashi

They had finally killed Sasori of the Red Sand. The rock formation they had previously been in had been devastated by his massive puppet army, as well as the Third Kazekage's Iron Sand, and all that was left behind was debris and scattered machine parts; even the Gedō Mazō was gone.

Kakashi extracted the corpse of the Fifth Kazekage and set it on the floor just as Naruto arrived.

Chiyo spoke, "Don't fret, child. I am prepared to give my life to bring back Gaara-sama." Naruto's eyes widened, as did Kakashi and Sakura. "How?"

The puppeteer knelt down next to the body of her late leader. "I will transfer my life force to Lord Gaara… please tell him that I entrust the legacy of Sunagakure to him, and the world to you all - the next generation. Kishō Tensei (Reanimation Jutsu)."

Naruto nodded and observed with solemn silence as the old woman's hands glowed green. Without warning, Gaara's eyes flew open and the next moment, Chiyo collapsed.

The redhead gasped. "Chiyo-obaasama... Naruto! What are you doing here?" The Uzumaki updated the Kage on the situation as he helped him up.

Once he was done recounting, Gaara said, "Thank you for your service, Konoha-nin, it is greatly appreciated. My village will now have to mourn the loss of a great elder."

The blond nodded in understanding. "Stay safe, Gaara."

"You too."

Land Of Fire, Two Days Later

Two figures cloaked in black and red clouds were strolling casually along the border. One of them had just cashed in the bounty for a highly wanted target, and was gleefully counting the money he had earned.

His partner had a bored expression on his face. In his right hand, he carried a giant red scythe, suggesting that he was ready for battle and in fact, was looking forward to a lot of bloodshed.

"Seriously, Kakuzu? Enough with the money already!" the silver-haired man complained.

"Shut up, we're both entitled to what we want. I enjoy the money, you enjoy the killing... plus, we're being followed so you might as well get some action," the other man replied as he kept his money.

"Huh?!" Hidan turned around, for he did not notice the presence earlier. Which was honestly quite stupid, since the person was right behind and barely bothered to hide her presence.

"Who the heck are you?"

The black-haired girl pulled off her cloak and tossed it aside as her left hand ripped her sword out of its scabbard.

"My name is Uchiha Sayuri, and you two will be answering some questions."

Author's Notes:

Finally completed this chapter after so long! My apologies as it has been quite a long while since the previous upload, but since it is my final year I have to focus on upcoming international examinations. Let me know what you thought of this chapter, I may have gotten quite rusty with writing and the characters are starting to get quite overpowered as they approach their prime. As usual, rate and review!

Until tomorrow,

Ja Ne


	19. An Uchiha Reunion

Asura's Transmigrant

Chapter 19: An Uchiha Reunion

Previously:

"My name is Uchiha Sayuri, and you two will be answering some questions."

"Oh? Itachi's little imouto…" Kakuzu remarked. Hidan cackled madly. "Foolish little girl! Do you think you'll be able to make us answer you? We're S-rank shinobi, what makes you think you could stand up to us?"

Sayuri looked at him with a level gaze, raising the Tenpenchii. "Try me."

"HAHAHAHA! WELL IT'S YOUR FUNERAL, GIRL!" Hidan exclaimed right before he lunged at her, much to Kakuzu's annoyance due to his lack of planning. He supposed that was the point since Hidan could basically throw himself into battle however recklessly without dying.

Sayuri dodged the scythe, then parried it with her sword when it was next swung at her. Hidan remained unfazed and bore a maniacal grin on his face as he swiped at the Uchiha unrelentingly. With a crazed laugh, he declared, "I got this, Kakuzu! Stay out of my kill."

His partner grunted but agreed silently. Perhaps, Itachi's little sister would give him a lesson in humility and strategy he would not forget.

She sidestepped another swing of his and smacked the back of his head with the flat of her blade. The man growled and put force into his backswing.

Sayuri evaded it by ducking, and once it swung past her, she quickly stood up and capitalised on his open form. The Uchiha took a step forward and with a flick of her wrist, delivered an arcing shot to his left shoulder.

The folded metal edge of the Cataclysm ate through fabric and found flesh, leaving behind a 3.5cm wide laceration. Gripping the handle tightly, the Uchiha dug the sword downwards before pulling it away to avoid Hidan's reciprocal attack.

She jumped back as he roared, "You little bitch! I swear to Jashin-sama, I will have your blood!" Kakuzu watched the fight with slight amusement. This girl had kept up with the agile bukijutsu specialist without even using her clan's fabled eyes, and even drew first blood; it appeared that she had her brother's skill. Well, not that it mattered… all it would take was one small nick.

Sayuri analysed her brief exchange, and realised that for a S-rank shinobi, he was rather impulsive and reckless. There must have been a trump card that he was hiding, the reason behind his complacency.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by Hidan's right hand flashing quickly as he tossed his triple-bladed scythe at her. Instantaneously, her dōjutsu activated and tracked the airborne weapon's curvilinear trajectory. It was aimed at her chest, and she would have to time this carefully.

The moment before it struck, her Rinnegan glowed. All of a sudden, the scythe penetrated Kakuzu's sternum, and Sayuri was at where he previously stood.

The Uchiha wasted no time in firing electrified shuriken at the cable connecting his scythe to his hand. They discharged a powerful electric shock throughout the cable, electrocuting both S-rank shinobi at once.

Hidan, however, seemed unafflicted by the raiton chakra as she swapped with her shuriken and quickly closed the distance between her and the grey-haired shinobi.

Sayuri brought the Tenpenchii down, but it was blocked by the sudden extension of a spear that was drawn from within the sleeve of his free arm. She stepped back as he simultaneously swiped at her with the retractable spear and yanked the cable on his right hand, which withdrew the scythe from Kakuzu's chest and caused it to fly towards her from behind.

The tomoes in her right eye spun before merging into a black mass that expanded and transformed into an atom model pattern. The scythe phased through her harmlessly and plunged into Hidan himself as he was in the path of his own weapon, causing him to fly back and crash into a tree from the unexpected force.

He had not accounted for this possibility, which annoyed the heck out of him as it immediately reminded him of his fellow Akatsuki member, Tobi.

Kakuzu, on the other hand, growled in pain while clutching his chest. This girl was not to be underestimated, for she had harmed them both twice in the short span of six seconds.

The Uchiha's mind shifted into hyperanalysis mode while sheathing her sword. The initial electrocution had not even affected Hidan, although it clearly hurt Kakuzu. When she was in close quarters with the grey-haired man, she noticed that the injury she had previously left on his left shoulder had disappeared. Now, he was impaled by his own scythe, and yet, impossibly, he stood up and removed it, appearing completely unscathed.

Was he some kind of immortal? Physical damage didn't seem to have any effect on him. Thankfully, he was rather overconfident of his own durability and that caused him to be reckless.

Sayuri grimaced. There was only one way to do this. But first, she would have to separate the two, because now that she had brought Kakuzu into the fight, she doubted he would just stand still.

Her fingers formed a cross sign… she would have to thank Naruto for this. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." With a burst of smoke, a shadow clone materialised into existence and took on Kakuzu.

She quickly launched herself at Hidan and engaged in a taijutsu battle. If she had to be honest, she was more wary of Kakuzu - the man had not given any of his abilities away.

Her mind returned to the immortal, deflecting his punch. He countered by bringing his weapon down. Her chakra flared as she declared, "Shinra Tensei!"

An invisible force rippled outwards from her, blasting the immortal away. "Those eyes! I see now… Jashin-sama would be pleased to have your blood!" Hidan screamed in delight.

Sayuri realised that it'd probably be a bad idea for him to draw her blood, since he kept on ranting about this god who apparently was the one who bestowed him with immortality.

The Uchiha clapped her hands. "Chikushodō!" A giant chameleon burst into existence behind Hidan, but he could not see it till it materialised after binding him with its tongue.

"What the fuck! This is disgusting!" Hidan swore. With its tail, the chameleon disarmed him while Sayuri appeared before him.

"Jigokudō," she muttered as the King Of Hell's head rose from the ground. "Ningendō!" she intoned, tapping his chest. A purplish aura wrapped around her hand, enabling her to draw out of the soul of Hidan.

She watched emotionlessly as he struggled against his bonds, though it eventually proved futile as Sayuri yanked out his soul and stored it within the King Of Hell's mouth. All his memories entered her mind.

Once she dispelled the chameleon, she launched a tornado kick on the corpse of the immortal towards a tree before it even hit the ground, then pinned it with a well-placed Flame Control arrow.

One down, two to go.

Sayuri ran towards Kakuzu while dispelling her clone, letting its memories come to her. From what her kage bunshin gleaned, the Taki nukenin was able to utilise a jutsu that hardened his skin to something akin to diamond that could break a kunai.

The Uchiha sprinted forward to meet her opponent, and immediately went on the offensive, pushing him back. Kakuzu was not one to be easily beaten in taijutsu; in fact, his experience was the main reason why he could maintain parity with Sayuri's Sharingan-augmented style.

He dodged back from a fast swipe from Sayuri, then caught her arm as it came back. His other hand attempted a punch but it was quickly halted by her knee. The Uchiha then flicked out her foot, breaking his grip on her.

She then shifted to the defensive as the Taki nukenin returned with a series of kicks. She deflected the first two, then stepped back to evade the rest. Sayuri jumped to avoid a low kick, executing a layout over Kakuzu's head while her right hand formed the Tairitsu no In.

When her feet contacted the floor, she pushed back more and backflipped away from the nukenin. "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" She launched a giant ball of flames at Kakuzu, who quickly countered with a jutsu of his own.

"Suiton: Suijinheki!" Water burst from the floor and blocked the incoming assault of flames, resulting in mist that obscured the nukenin's vision. He was not fooled, however, and sensed the Uchiha zipping past him.

Kakuzu spun around and formed three hand seals, which Sayuri's dōjutsu tracked and copied.

"Katon: Zukokku (Fire Style: Cranium Carver)!"

A fire storm erupted from a red mask that burst out of Kakuzu's back, and towards Sayuri's own technique. They clashed and cancelled out.

Suddenly, black threads sprouted out of Kakuzu's back and formed four different giant masses that flanked him, each having a coloured mask.

Sayuri could see with her Rinnegan the different elemental affinities each creature possessed. Currently, there was a build-up of raiton chakra in the creature with the yellow mask. "Raiton: Gian (Lightning Style: False Darkness)!" Kakuzu shouted before the creature launched a powerful beam of lightning in the shape of a spear at Sayuri.

The Uchiha's hand flared with raiton chakra that manifested with the roar of a thousand birds. Fearlessly, the girl brought her hand to meet the incoming stream of lightning.

By now, her Chidori was already on par with Kakashi's Raikiri, which made it S-rank and thus it easily overpowered the B-rank raiton jutsu. She didn't stop there.

"Chidori Eisō (Chidori Sharp Spear)." Sayuri's hand crackled as shape transformation was applied to her Chidori, causing a thin but sharp line to shoot across what had once been the False Darkness.

With great precision and the element of surprise, it tore through the lightning mask, destroying the creature.

Sayuri quickly manoeuvred her hand, swiping the entire spear horizontally in an attempt to take out the rest. Of course, Kakuzu and his organisms would not make it so easy for her and jumped out of the way while launching their own jutsu.

"Fūton: Atsugai, Katon: Zukokku!" The two jutsu combined into a giant inferno that swiftly closed the distance between Sayuri and Kakuzu.

At her command, ethereal purple flames wrapped around Sayuri and formed a massive ribcage that shielded her from the effects of the combination jutsu. The Uchiha poured even more chakra into the Susanoo, manifesting in the shape of a titan. The bow on its left arm was quickly nocked with three arrows.

Taking only a second to aim, Sayuri fired all three arrows at once, and used Amenotejikara to speed up the one heading towards the Wind mask as it would severely handicap the tactic of cooperation ninjutsu utilised by the masks. After all, what kind of technique could result from Fire and Water combined?

As expected, the Wind mask was obliterated while the Fire mask's body was hit; the Water mask narrowly missed the arrow. Of course, for the Fire mask, the damage was only temporary as the black threads simply repaired themselves.

Unexpectedly, Kakuzu's hand burst out from the ground within her Susanoo, connected to black threads which enabled Kakuzu to remotely control it. It latched onto Sayuri's ankle and quickly ripped her out of the protective envelope and straight towards a tree.

She smashed into the trunk with great impact, causing splinters of wood to fly everywhere. "Damn it, Kawarimi!" the nukenin cursed.

"Katon: Zukokku!" Kakuzu called once again. At the last minute, Sayuri swapped with the Water mask, causing it to be overwhelmed with flames.

"This technique again... you're getting boring, Kakuzu," the Uchiha remarked as she initiated Amaterasu on the Fire mask and took it out.

Now completely disarmed, Kakuzu had no choice but to use taijutsu. The nukenin threw a punch at Sayuri, who quickly dodged it and slapped it away. He spun around and struck with his other fist; the Uchiha blocked with her other hand.

Seizing his left arm, she swiped a knifehand across his arm towards his head. Kakuzu deftly weaved around her strike and with ferocious speed, entered her guard.

"Doton: Domu (Earth Style: Iron Skin)!" Kakuzu roared before he stabbed her chest with a diamond-edged thrust of his hand, lifting her up with his bare strength. The Uchiha gurgled as blood flowed out of her mouth from the internal injury.

"You have cost me much loss, Uchiha Sayuri. I confess, your title of Konoha no Raijin is well-deserved. But no matter, for I have triumphed again. Your heart will be the first one to help restore my collection."

Sayuri grinned, showing her bloody teeth. That was never a good sign. When you had your hand through your opponent's lung cavity, there was only one reason why he would even smile.

The Uchiha before his eyes melted into nothingness. "Genjutsu… I've been had." Kakuzu felt a hand tap his back; Sayuri had activated her Kyūkon no Jutsu, and was quickly backpedalling away from the Taki nukenin as she drew out his soul. Just like his partner, Kakuzu's lifetime of memories flooded into her mind.

And it was rich indeed. He had lived since the time of the Shodai Hokage, and even fought him. It gave her a good idea of what Naruto would be like at his prime. Of course, the information she was after was more important.

Flashback

The members of the Akatsuki were in a meeting conducted over their holographic rings.

"Itachi, Kisame, the two of you will take charge of capturing the Yonbi jinchūriki in Iwa, and bring him back here to Ame for sealing... we should be done with Yagura by then."

"Hai, Leader-sama," Itachi replied to the man with the Rinnegan.

"Hidan and Kakuzu, you two will deal with the Nanabi jinchūriki in Taki," the man ordered.

"Hai. My home village hmm…" Kakuzu muttered to himself.

Present

She had dealt with two S-rank nukenin, and now she knew where to go to find her brother; however she also had to accept the fact that there was another Rinnegan user in the Elemental Nations. At least that explained who was the one who could conjure the Gedō Mazō, given what Naruto told her after they had defeated Gaara.

Sayuri sighed. It would be a good time to cash in both corpses at the bounty office.

Hokage's Office, One Day Later

"There have been reports that the bodies of Kakuzu and Hidan, two nukenin from the Akatsuki have been cashed in at a local bounty office by Sayuri," said Jiraiya.

"Just recently she ended Yagura's regime by singlehandedly killing off the ten thousand-strong loyalist army. The girl is getting extremely strong as the days pass, and I daresay she is at Naruto's level," Tsunade remarked.

Jiraiya nodded. "It's no coincidence that she's targeting the Akatsuki, because her brother is there. There's no doubt that she will soon find him, and fight him."

"We have to keep her in check, because officially she is still in Konoha's service and whatever she does will be attributed to us. To put it bluntly, she's a powerful but loose cannon," stated the Hokage.

The Toad Sage agreed, but added, "Anything we do must be done carefully, because Naruto still has a dangerously strong attachment to her and whatever becomes of her might affect his loyalty to the village. Worse, Danzō might capitalize on the situation and sway him to his side."

Tsunade sighed. It was a precarious situation, having to deal with someone outside her control while ensuring the warmongering Danzō didn't try anything funny. She just wished that there was enough evidence to charge him and get rid of him. So far, Jiraiya did not have any of such luck.

"Alright then hime, guess we'll just wait and see. Make sure Naruto knows none of this or he'll be bound to act rashly." With that, the Gama Sennin jumped out of the window, leaving Tsunade to retrieve a bottle of sake from her desk drawer.

She popped open the cap and took a swig.

"Kami-sama, why did I take this job again?"

Iwa-Ame Border, One Day Later

Itachi and Kisame approached the entrance of Amegakure, with the former carrying the battered body of the Yonbi jinchūriki - Rōshi.

They halted upon seeing a cloaked figure seated patiently in the middle of the road as the rain pattered on the person's hood.

As if noticing their approach, the figure looked up, though the ambient darkness shrouding Ame made it difficult to see who it was. All they could make out was a single eye - glowing a menacing vermilion with three revolving commas the colour of night.

Itachi passed the body of the jinchūriki to his partner. "Kisame, go ahead and deliver this to HQ. I will deal this… though I can't say if I'll make it back."

The Kiri nukenin raised an eyebrow. "Oh…? I see. She has finally come for you. Well, good luck, Itachi... it was nice working with you while it lasted." With that, the man disappeared.

"So, imouto… you're finally here," spoke Itachi as Sayuri stood up and pushed back her hood, exposing her beautiful face marred by raindrops.

"You've grown into a fine young lady. I'm impressed that you found me, though I'm not surprised given the recent massacre of the Kiri army and the news of the immortal duo's deaths," Itachi continued.

"Nii-san, you've no idea how long I've been waiting for this day," said Sayuri darkly, ignoring his comments. Without warning, she unleashed her potent chakra and let it radiate freely, exposing her hatred for the brother that had caused her so much pain, and even led her to hurt her own friend… her best friend, her would-be fiance.

The wind whipped around as her chakra continued to scar the land, creating cracks in the concrete floor beneath her. It was visible by the dark, purple aura that enshrouded her, akin to a thundercloud surrounded by flashes of lightning.

"It seems that you have allowed the hate within you to grow, and because of it you've achieved true strength."

Suddenly, the younger Uchiha appeared in front of her brother, her sword impaling his chest. "SHUT UP! You do not know of how I gained my power. My Sharingan was awakened from love, my hate for you merely advanced it. Because of it, I gained a power greater than the Sharingan, one most can only dream of... and this is how I know you're not showing your true self!"

Itachi burst into a murder of crows that regrouped further away from her. "When you're ready, find me at the old Uchiha hideout in Hi no Kuni," his deep voice announced. With that, the crows took flight.

Sayuri flipped her sword and deftly returned it to its scabbard as she glared at the retreating form of the crows.

Uchiha Hideout, Later

Footsteps fell on the abandoned concrete of the Uchiha clan's outpost, echoing within the large chamber that formed the main meeting hall of the hideout. Seated on a throne of stone on a platform in the hall was Uchiha Itachi, calm and poised.

"Well, nii-san… are you gonna run away again?" asked Sayuri. Itachi didn't reply.

"I want answers. Why did you massacre our clan?"

"I've told you before, and I'll say it again, Sayuri. I did it to test my strength, and the clan proved to be disappointingly weak."

His sister growled. "You bastard! What did they do to deserve it? What about Kaa-san? Tou-san?!" At this point, her blood was boiling and just like before, her purple chakra flared.

"They were the same. Foolish Uchihas, the cursed clan that loved to flaunt their power. A clan so bound by hatred, with a history steeped in blood! Don't you understand, Sayuri? The instant you entered this world, you were destined for a life of bloodshed! But I… I will be the one to be free from the Curse of Hatred! I will be the one to wield the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan!" Itachi ranted in an almost maniacal craze.

Sayuri exploded in a fit of unbridled rage. "AND YOU'RE ANY DIFFERENT? YOU WANTED THE POWER OF THE MANGEKYŌ SHARINGAN FOR YOURSELF, AND JUST TO DO THAT YOU KILLED SHISUI-NII, THEN MURDERED THE WHOLE CLAN BUT LEFT ME ALIVE SO THAT I WOULD OBTAIN IT TOO, AND ULTIMATELY I WAS JUST YOUR SPARE PAIR OF EYES!" the younger Uchiha screamed.

Itachi smirked. "That's right imouto. Why do you think I kept you alive and treated you so well when we were younger? You were my prized spares, my only path to true power! You are the one who will remove all my limitations, and after I kill you, I will be unstoppable!"

"…I swear to Kami-sama, I'll kill you today if it's the last thing I do!" Sayuri roared and with a savage cry, freed her sword from its scabbard.

"Try to make it happen," responded the elder Uchiha, who suddenly appeared before her. The girl slashed outwards with her tsurugi, causing him to jump backwards.

Sayuri returned with a downward swipe that Itachi sidestepped. He retaliated with two punches that were blocked. She switched to her right hand and swept her sword upwards in one swift stroke that Itachi just narrowly avoided.

Without warning, she dropped the tsurugi into her left hand, and while wielding it upside down, jumped at Itachi.

The elder Uchiha quickly evaded backwards to avoid the edge of the blade. Now in the air, Sayuri brought her right hand into a Seal of Confrontation before her chest.

A torrent of flames exploded from her mouth, heading straight towards Itachi. The Konoha nukenin leapt up to dodge the fireball and came face to face with his sister who launched a kick at his stomach.

Itachi crashed onto the ground and flipped into an upright position just as she landed. He drew a kunai and lunged at her, prompting her to block it with her sword. The tip of the sharp implement pressed against the polished blade of the Tenpenchii, which reflected Itachi's eyes - red and swirling with magatama.

Sayuri glared at him with her onyx eyes that then bled into a glowing vermilion. With her left hand still gripping the handle of her tsurugi, she executed two one-handed seals, eliciting a sudden discharge of raiton chakra.

Itachi retreated upon noticing the build-up of chakra, just in time to avoid the potentially lethal explosion of electricity.

Sayuri stabbed the Tenpenchii into the concrete and yelled, "Chidori Nagashi!" Raiton chakra radiated outwards and rushed towards Itachi, who calmly threw a kunai at her.

The girl extracted the sword from the ground and knocked away the projectile. It spun in midair, then in a burst of smoke, revealed itself to be a shadow clone. It substituted with the original, who simultaneously avoided the raiton jutsu and closed the gap between him and Sayuri.

Flashing through a string of hand seals, the elder Uchiha then spouted a fireball at Sayuri at point blank range.

The fire engulfed his sister and for a moment, nothing could be seen. Gradually, however, the firestorm diminished in size before revealing an unharmed Sayuri with her outstretched hand siphoning what appeared to be chakra from the jutsu.

Itachi's eyes widened slightly, though not enough to appear as if his composure had been lost. "So it's true…"

By now, Sayuri's right eye had transformed into the Choku Tomoe Mangekyō. Her bang swayed to the side, revealing the divine dōjutsu behind it.

"You possess the Rinnegan… that accounts for the rumour of you forming a satellite and devastating the Kiri army," stated Itachi.

The younger Uchiha replied, "That's right. Enough of these games, anija. No more genjutsu." Both of them began to melt into nothingness.

"You've really exceeded my expectations, imouto. I'm really impressed by your growth," remarked the seated elder Uchiha.

"I would warn you not to underestimate me, but you will lose your life today anyways," responded Sayuri, who sheathed the Cataclysm.

She brought her left hand over her right hand. "Kuchiyose: Raikō Kenka (Summoning: Lightning Flash Blade Creation)!" Sayuri yelled as she fired dozens of summoned shuriken at her brother, stealing the initiative.

Itachi sprung out of the throne, leaving it to be impaled by the dangerous projectiles. With great speed, he ripped several weapons of his own out of his pouch and flung them at Sayuri as he flipped overhead.

The younger Uchiha accurately knocked them away with a kunai, then threw it at her brother along with thirty other similar weapons.

The elder Uchiha landed and rapidly fired his projectiles, deflecting his sister's relentless onslaught. This went on for the next twenty seconds.

Just as suddenly as it had started, the clang of metal ceased as the two Uchiha siblings clashed among the hundreds of scattered shuriken and kunai.

They were in a deadlock, with Itachi gripping Sayuri's left arm with his right and vice versa. Another Itachi leapt up from behind the original, wielding three kunai that it then tossed at her.

"He managed to form a shadow clone during all that throwing?" thought Sayuri, who looked up at the kage bunshin and tracked the incoming projectiles. "Shinra Tensei!"

A force rippled out and ploughed into anything surrounding her in a five metre radius, knocking them back.

She did not waste time and swiftly drew a fūma shuriken from her storage seals. Sayuri tossed the giant windmill shuriken at her brother, whose clone stepped up and took the damage for the original.

It scattered into crows which flew at her while transforming into shuriken. She weaved a sequence of hand seals before declaring, "Rikudō Inton: Gōryūka no Jutsu (Six Paths Yin Style: Great Dragon Flame Jutsu)!"

Enormous dragons erupted from her mouth as she pumped out a copious volume of katon chakra, augmented by the Six Paths Yin Power.

They engulfed the shuriken and easily incinerated them before heading towards the elder Uchiha. Itachi, alarmed by the powerful inferno, knew that it was no ordinary katon jutsu that could be put out by water.

His eyes morphed into their Kaleidoscopic stage. "Amaterasu," he intoned. Black flames sprouted on the dragons' heads, ferociously fighting them.

With a mental command, Sayuri directed the dragons skyward along with the black flames on their faces, causing them to obliterate the ceiling of the hideout and disappear into the clouds above.

Itachi frowned. There was no reason why Sayuri would do that, unless she had a plan. Whatever it was, he had to be prepared to face it.

He clutched his eye in pain, closing them for a moment. "What's wrong, Itachi-nii?" Sayuri taunted, "Is your Mangekyō giving you some trouble?"

Itachi did not let it get to him. He grimaced as he opened his bleeding eyes. The elder Uchiha looked up to the skies and saw the ominous clouds stirring overhead, lightning just flashing upon the horizon.

"Don't look away, anija!" came the warning voice of Sayuri at his ear, just before she launched him crashing into the far wall with a forceful tornado kick.

Itachi had not even sensed her approach, and thus was caught completely off guard. He got up as Sayuri's hand began to crackle with the Chidori, and a purple avatar protected her.

Lightning overhead coalesced into a single point, transfiguring into a giant beast of lightning that seemed almost divine. Its red eyes and intimidating face was enough to drive Itachi to action.

"And now, begone with the thunderclap!" commanded Sayuri, who swung her hand down. The large dragonoid closed the distance between it and Itachi in a mere fraction of a second, instantly obliterating the hideout and reducing the environment into a rubble.

The ensuing explosion was bright, but Sayuri could see through it with her Rinnegan. As expected, her brother had gotten out of it alive by activating his Susanoo.

Of course, that was her plan - she knew that the prolonged use of his Mangekyō would ultimately result in fatigue.

The orange titan that surrounded Itachi faded away as he got weaker. Meanwhile, he watched as Sayuri strode towards him, her own Susanoo disappearing.

The Konoha nukenin was panting hard because his overuse of the Mangekyō had exacerbated his condition and caused his health to deteriorate further. The end was nigh. Well, he still had to act his part till the very end.

Sayuri stopped right in front of him. "Pathetic traitor... you should look at yourself, nii-san. You're on the verge of death from using the Mangekyō. But I will not allow you to die from it… I must be the one to claim your life!"

She stepped forward and pressed her palm to his chest. "Finally, the Uchiha clan is avenged! THIS IS IT, ITACHI-NII! NINGENDŌ: KYŪKON NO JUTSU!" Purple light radiated from the spot where she touched his chest, and she proceeded to drag out his soul; he offered no resistance, though it was not as if he could even if he wanted to due to his state.

Blood from his mouth began to drip, but in spite of this, Itachi smiled. "I guess this is it, Sayuri," the elder Uchiha whispered.

"Good riddance," Sayuri spat, before she completely yanked out his soul. Itachi's corpse collasped to the floor with a loud thud.

His lifetime of memories entered her head.

Flashback

"What happened to you, Shisui?" asked Itachi in concern. Clutching his bleeding eye socket in agony, the other Uchiha replied as he panted heavily, "That bastard Danzō… he got one of my eyes."

Itachi growled. "That man can't be trusted. He wants the power of Kotoamatsukami for himself!"

Shisui nodded. "Knowing him, he'll come for my left eye next," said Shisui, "That's why I'm entrusting this to you." As he said that, the Uchiha gouged out his left eye.

Itachi was shocked. "But why?"

"Maybe Danzō was right. Changing the mindset of the leaders won't change the whole clan's sentiments. But I believe you can do it, Itachi. You're my best friend and the only one I can count on. Protect the peace of the village and the Uchiha name. Free our clan from the Curse Of Hatred."

Shisui pressed his remaining eye into Itachi's hand. The younger Uchiha accepted it reluctantly.

"Wait then-"

"This is goodbye, Itachi-kun. Don't join me too soon," said Shisui with a smile, right before he leapt off the cliff and drowned in Naka River.

Itachi cried as he watched his first and only friend commit suicide before him. And it had the intended effect Shisui had planned for - Itachi's Sharingan matured into its next stage, the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Present

Sayuri was shocked, just as her brother was all those years ago. Itachi had not murdered Shisui? And what was this about the clan and the peace of the village?

Flashback

Itachi knelt before the Honourable Elder Shimura Danzō. "Danzō-sama… I believe there is still a way-"

"Stop Itachi. It is pointless. There is no outcome that can see the Uchiha clan's survival," declared the elder, "I'll give you a choice, Itachi. Either you support the Uchiha coup d'état and have the whole clan, including Sayuri, killed in the ensuing conflict… or you can accept the assignment to wipe out the clan before the coup starts and be allowed to spare your little imouto."

Itachi grimaced, but the choice was obvious. The Uchiha stood up. "It will be done. By tomorrow morning, the Uchiha clan will cease to exist."

Present

Sayuri's eyes widened. Just what the hell was going on? The Uchiha clan was staging a revolt against Konoha? Millions of questions raced through her mind as she recounted more memories; it seemed that there was more than met the eye behind the clan massacre.

Flashback

Itachi stopped a mysterious man with a mask as he was walking in the forests near the Uchiha clan compound.

"How did you know about me?" the man asked.

"You slipped through the highest level of Leaf security and went to examine the Nakano Shrine Secret Stone Tablet. Only the Uchiha are aware of its location. After that, I studied your movements, and looked into what kind of character you are, what your ideology is."

"Well that saves me much time. For you already know that I am Uchiha Madara, and bear hatred toward both Konoha and my own clan."

Itachi replied, "I have terms. I'll help you exact revenge upon the Uchiha clan, but you are not to harm the village itself... nor Uchiha Sayuri."

"I agree, but I'll join you. That is non- negotiable."

Present

So that other Uchiha was involved in killing the clan… and Sayuri was certain from her inheritance of Indra's chakra that Madara could not have been alive at the same time she was. She clenched her fist tightly in anger.

Flashback

Itachi was in his parents' room. Both were in the seiza position, facing away from him. Fugaku spoke, "I see… so you've aligned with the other side…"

"Tou-san, kaa-san, I just-"

"We already know, Itachi," interrupted Mikoto.

Fugaku continued, "Itachi, just promise me this: that you'll take care of Sayuri."

Tears welled up in his eyes, and his hands began to shake uncontrollably as he held the sword that was about to taste the blood of his parents. "I will."

"Do not fear it. This is the path you have chosen. Compared to yours, our pain will be over in an instant. Our philosophies may differ, but I'm still proud of you… you're truly a kind child," said Fugaku.

Itachi steeled his resolve and completed the deed. As he stood over the corpses of his parents, his little sister burst into the room.

"Nii-san! What terrible person could've done this?" cried a young Sayuri. Painful as it might've been, Itachi gazed at her with his tearful eyes that took on the form of the Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Tsukuyomi!"

After leaving his sister behind with carefully planned parting words, Itachi sent a crow clone to Danzō to threaten him with the leaking of the Leaf's secrets should Sayuri ever come under threat. Meanwhile, the original headed to the office of the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama, it is done," Itachi reported with a bow. Hiruzen was sad that someone so young had to take on such a huge burden, but knew it was necessary.

"Thank you Itachi, you have done a great service to the village," said Hiruzen. Itachi stood up.

"My mission is far from complete. I'll be infiltrating the Akatsuki under Jiraiya-sama's orders, so I'll be sending some information back from time to time. But above all, I beg you to take care of Sayuri for me, Hokage-sama," pleaded Itachi.

Hiruzen smiled sadly. "It will be done. It pains me to have to brand you a traitor. Once again, Itachi, I thank you on behalf of the whole village."

The Uchiha nodded. "Make sure she never finds out." With that, Itachi disappeared, officially defecting from the Leaf.

Present

Sayuri fell on to her knees as the truth of the whole matter finally fell on her. It crushed her heart to know how much her brother had actually loved her, and yet all this while was forced to take on the guise of a traitor.

Hated by everyone, he still continued dutifully serving Konoha. She broke down and wept uncontrollably, morning the loss of her beloved brother. "WHY?!" Sayuri screamed at the heavens.

"WHY IS IT SO UNFAIR? WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE YOU NII-SAN?! WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME ALIVE?! HOW WAS I DIFFERENT FROM THE REST? I SHOULD'VE DIED ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE, BUT YOU JUST HAD TO SHOULDER THIS WHOLE THING UPON YOURSELF!" Sayuri wailed as she pounded the body of Itachi with her fists. She sobbed painfully into the chest of the corpse as she gripped the cloth of his shirt, her tears wetting the already soaked cotton further.

The rain she had induced beat down on her, almost like the sky was mocking her, reminding her that everything that had transpired was of her own doing. Raindrops rolled down her face, coalescing with her tears; at some point, she could no longer tell the difference, nor did she care.

Sayuri suddenly had a horrid vision of the past, a memory that had returned to haunt her.

Flashback

"Are you fighting for your own sake? Or to protect others?" Haku asked. Sayuri's gaze softened. "I don't really know. I guess I fight to avenge my clansmen but at the same time I also protect the people I love from being harmed by what I do."

The girl nodded sympathetically. "That's something I understand. It's a different kind of love, and it must kill you inside to be hated by the one you love, because to protect them you must be the villain huh? Well, you're still fighting to protect someone precious to you, and that's something I respect even greater because you sacrifice more than anybody to protect everybody."

Present

At this moment, she just felt very… empty. She had lost all sense of purpose. That was when Sayuri realised the flaw in her revenge - she had been so focused on killing her brother that she had lost sight of the bigger picture. Everything else had been scrapped, given up in pursuit of the perceived ultimate goal of revenge. So much so that she had even hurt Naruto, and now she truly knew that it was for naught.

It turned out that Itachi had loved her all along, and the realisation that her clan was planning a coup against the village simply crushed her. Her heart ached for she had hurt the person whom she loved, just to kill the other person who loved her.

"Why?" her voice softened now, as she collapsed onto the floor weakly.

Sayuri's Mindscape

Indra was concerned. After exacting revenge, the Curse Of Hatred was running weakly through her veins. However, he realised just what it would take to get her back on track.

"Sayuri… this is all the village's fault. They were the ones who harmed your clan, and your brother. They forced him into a decision to execute the whole clan, and to shoulder all the blame while continuing to spy for the village. They sucked all the benefits from the Uchiha clan - they killed off the conspirators without public knowledge by covering up with your brother, who had to bear the mark of a traitor while still providing them information!" incited Indra.

Sayuri glared at him with fierce eyes, something he did not expect. Although he could read her thoughts, it appeared that the next one was just newly formed - she had just come to a revelation.

"Shut up, Indra! I know that you're trying to get me to go against the village… you want me to conspire against them just to fuel your desire for the proliferation of the Curse Of Hatred! I've already hurt so many people precious to me the first time I followed the Curse... I will not foolishly follow the same path again and hurt more people. Danzō is the one who is to blame, not the village. He stole Shisui's eye and forced Itachi to make a choice that he could barely decide against, when the Kotoamatsukami was still an option," declared Sayuri.

Indra's eyes widened. How had she realised?

The Uchiha shook her head. "Naruto was right. This Curse is dangerous… it is powerful but selfish, and makes one forget everything that matters just to pursue an ephemeral dream that will never come to fruition. You're a bad influence, Indra."

The Ōtsutsuki cursed in an ancient tongue. "What makes you think you can stop me? I was the one who gave you the power of the Rinnegan! Foolish descendant, I cannot believe you're my transmigrant, and I cannot believe that you have fallen to the ways of the pitiful Will Of Fire!"

Sayuri snorted. "It's this particular flame that will burn you. Give it up, Indra, the Curse is eradicated for I have seen the truth, ironically, with the eyes that you provided me, and have been cleansed by the Fire that burns bright for all who believe in it. Don't forget that you're a guest in my house-" she said, pausing to gesture pointedly at her mindscape, "-and I can remove your influence just as easily."

Indra growled. "Damn you, brat!" The Uchiha walked away as mental chains began to manifest and bind her ancestor, before locking him behind 32 layers of adamantium.

"Don't ever forget this day. The next time you ever feel the slightest tinge of hatred - my Curse will fall upon you once again," warned Indra, just before Sayuri summoned a gag on his mouth.

Reality

The Uchiha stood up and sealed the body of her brother. She would give him a private burial, and ensure that his body would never fall into the wrong hands for he deserved to be honoured; she would emulate his ways by serving the village as he did.

Finally, a new target. She glanced into the distance, as if she could see far enough to make out the Hokage Rock. She would have to warn Konoha about the other Uchiha, the Madara impostor.

A ghost of a smile graced her lips. It had been a long time since she last saw _him_ , and she couldn't wait to see his infectious smile again.

A sudden thought struck her. What if he didn't love her anymore? She did deserve it, given how badly she had treated him at the Valley, but it still hurt her to think that such a thing was possible. She would then be subjected to the CRA, and well… she supposed that she could defect for real this time.

Sayuri laughed dryly at her own joke. How trivial she had made it seem; which reminded her how odd it was for them not to send any ANBU after her. Perhaps she had gained such a fearsome reputation that they did not dare to do so? Or more hopefully, Naruto had been involved in persuading them not to.

She blushed at the thought, and chided herself for how easily she had let the Uzumaki affect her. She supposed that was what happened when she allowed someone in to her heart.

Sayuri shook her head, clearing it of all such thoughts. First, she had to deal with Danzō.

It was time to go home.

Konoha Council Chambers, Later

"For what reason have you saw fit to summon the council, Honourable Elders?" asked Tsunade.

Civilian councillors and shinobi clan heads alike were gathered behind the closed doors of Konoha's Council Chambers at the request of the three advisors, though the Godaime was not told why such an urgent meeting was called for in the first place.

"Tsunade-sama," spoke Danzō, "We elders have come to an agreement to approach two points in today's session. The first is about the Kyūbi jinchūriki, Uzumaki Naruto. The second is about the last Uchiha."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Please begin."

"It has come to our attention that Uzumaki Naruto had received the recommendation from the Kages and Daimyō present at the Chūnin Exams hosted three years ago on the day of the Konoha Crush. And now that he's returned from training with Jiraiya, as well as the mission of rescuing the Kazekage, we believe that it is a good time to promote him to chūnin as a form of recognition of his ability. Given that he is the jinchūriki of the village, it is important that he remains loyal and one of the ways to maintain it, especially since he wishes to be Hokage, is to provide him with the advancement in rank that he would want," explained Danzō.

"That can't be it… he has an ulterior motive for sure," thought Tsunade as she tried to recall what that would entail. She managed to suppress her shock upon realising that he was trying to implement the CRA. But Sayuri wasn't back yet, which she bet was the second point they would talk about… that meant Naruto would have to face the CRA alone. Oh, how she wished that Sayuri would just drop from the ceiling and solve all her problems at once!

The Hokage gritted her teeth, but tried not to display any other emotion. "So, I suppose you intend on implementing the CRA?" asked Tsunade.

Danzō nodded. "As we all already know, Uzumaki Naruto is the son of our beloved Yondaime, which will put him in a good place to accept the position of Uzumaki clan head. As our former allies, the restoration of the clan and the inheritance of its renown chakra will boost the village's power."

Many of the civilian councillors were grinning at this point. The Council had always adored kekkei genkai after all. Meanwhile, the clan heads were considering all this more carefully.

"Say I do promote Uzumaki to chūnin, thereby automatically granting him the status of clan head… who will form his harem of wives?" ventured Tsunade. At this, the councillors burst into a flurry of discussion.

Hiashi deliberated a while before raising his hand. "Hokage-sama, I propose that my daughter be his chief wife." Hiashi was aware of his daughter's feelings, and since she wasn't going to be the next clan head anyways, she might as well secure some links for the Hyūga clan.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, though it wasn't totally unexpected. Danzō asked, "Any objections?"

Suddenly, a voice came from above, startling the Council. "I object."

Everyone looked up, shocked that someone could bypass the ANBU security detail present whenever the Council was in session, and that no one had picked up the presence earlier.

Sayuri dropped from the ceiling, flipping before landing smoothly on the floor with a soft thud.

"Pardon my intrusion."

Author's Notes:

And that's a wrap! Surprisingly, I found time to write a chapter but I was rather excited about Sayuri meeting Itachi, so here it is. However, from this point on I severely doubt I'll have enough free time till my examinations are over, so bear with me till December! Next chapter will see Sayuri confronting Danzō, and finally the Uzumaki and Uchiha will be reunited, so I'm pretty excited to bring you the next chapter :) As usual, rate and review!

Until tomorrow,

Ja Ne


	20. Reconciliation

Asura's Transmigrant

Chapter 20: Reconciliation

Previously:

"Pardon my intrusion."

The clan heads were on guard, as were the ANBU keeping vigil outside, but Tsunade immediately ordered, "Stand down."

"How dare you enter the Chambers without permission, Uchiha?!" demanded Danzō. Sayuri glared at him while activitating her dōjutsu, but as a seasoned veteran he was unfazed.

"And to think you would activate your dōjutsu within these Chambers… all usage of chakra in this room is off-limits," spoke Danzō again.

She observed the bandages around his right eye, and when looking beyond it, she could see the presence of chakra that was different from the rest of his body. So it was true that Danzō had stolen Shisui's eye.

"Perhaps that is the reason why no one has ever caught you yet, Danzō," Sayuri replied. "What's going on here?" Tsunade questioned.

"Hiashi-sama, please do me a favour and activate your Byakugan on Danzō," requested the Uchiha. Tsunade nodded at the clan head, giving him approval. He obliged.

The Hyūga gasped despite his stoic nature, and said, "I can't believe it, but Danzō has Shisui's Mangekyō hidden behind his bandages..."

He then looked down at the bandages on Danzō's arm. "And on his right arm, there are ten implanted Sharingan."

Tsunade scowled. "What is the meaning of this, Danzō?" "Since you already know..."

He ripped off his bandages, confirming everyone's fears. "Kotoamatsu-"

Danzō was interrupted as he was dealt a invisible blow to the throat by Sayuri's shadow, which knocked him back against the wall as he gurgled in pain.

Sayuri shifted forth and seized the man by his neck with her Susanoo arm, lifting him off the floor. "Don't you dare use his eye, you bastard."

She continued, "Hokage-sama, I believe you have seen enough. This traitor here has Sharingan and Shisui's Mangekyō implanted on his body, and tried to use Kotoamatsukami on the Council… is that evidence alone culpable of treason?"

"Put him down, Uchiha! What do you think you are doing?" said Homura harshly. "Don't get me started… Danzō manipulated my brother into killing the Uchiha clan by stealing Shisui's eye, and forced him into the decision by removing the option of using Kotoamatsukami as well as threatening him with my life. Well, you made a mistake, Danzō! YOU LEFT ME ALIVE!" Sayuri roared, her killing intent flooding the room.

The room's temperature plunged by a few degrees, and every civilian shrunk back in his seat though they were not the target of her wrath. Furthermore, on the shinobi side, a myriad of emotions filled the clan heads, inciting rage in some and pity in others.

"Execute him!" choked out a civilian in an attempt to assuage her anger. "Seconded!" cried another in fear. "What are you talking about? Stop making baseless allegations!" shouted Koharu.

"SILENCE!" Tsunade ordered. "Sayuri, since he has caused your clan so much pain, my decision is that he will be executed at your discretion."

Shikaku smirked, knowing that the Senju had already waited very long for such an opportunity but was never able to legitimately authorise the collection of evidence on Danzō with good reason. It appeared that Sayuri was just the right person needed.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," responded Sayuri. The killing intent in the room seemingly evaporated, but all who knew better understood that it had merely receded and would not be gone until the Uchiha was satisfied. "Now, Danzō… you and I have lots to do." The man's eye widened as the air around him distorted, swirling before he was forced into her dimension.

"As for the Clan Restoration Act, I plead for the Council to alot some time for me to discuss the issue with Uzumaki Naruto. We might have a solution," said the Uchiha.

"Which is?" asked Inuzuka Tsume.

Tsunade smirked, already knowing what it was. "Tsume, let's just allow them to present it to us at noon tomorrow," said Tsunade. She knew that Sayuri needed time to sort things out with Naruto, especially since they had not seen each other for so long. "Is that sufficient?"

"More than enough. Once again, thank you for your generosity, Hokage-sama," the Uchiha responded, "I'll take my leave now to deal with Shimura Danzō." The Slug Sannin nodded as Sayuri disappeared with a swirl. The Uchiha was really being careful with her words given the variable opinion on her status… she would make a good clan head.

"The second point?" Tsunade asked the remaining elders. "Never mind, Hokage-sama," replied Homura quickly.

The Senju surpressed a smirk, knowing that their point was invalidated upon Sayuri's return. As she had hoped, Kami-sama had made the Uchiha fall from the ceiling and solve all her problems.

Perhaps she wasn't so unlucky after all.

With Sayuri

"I can't believe that Itachi was the kind of person to reveal secrets," remarked Danzō as soon as he saw her appear.

"Don't. Say. That. Name," warned Sayuri with a scowl. "I will make you pay for what you did to my clan… I swear this on the name of every fallen Uchiha. Now come forth, and prepare to receive your punishment."

The Shimura was amused. "I can bend the very nature of reality girl… what makes you think you can stand up to me?"

"With the very eyes you use to do so," replied Sayuri, who activated her dōjutsu. She charged at Danzō, who was quick to flash through hand seals.

"Fūton: Shinkūgyoku (Wind Style: Vacuum Bullets)!" The elder expelled a stream of compressed air at the Uchiha. The girl dodged it just as he fired off more at her. In a display of agility, Sayuri flipped over and under the barrage of fūton bullets. She cartwheeled, sprung off the ground by pushing off her hands and spun in the air.

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!" Sayuri shot her own volley of flames at Danzō, who jumped back away from the onslaught only to see the Uchiha disappear before his eyes. Instinctively, he turned around, only to see the scion coming at him with a Chidori.

Sayuri narrowly missed as he stepped back, so she utilised her momentum to jump into a whirling kick. His hands shot up and blocked the first one from connecting; however, her second foot swiftly followed and slammed into his temple. She pushed off his shoulders with her feet and quickly followed with a Gōkakyū that engulfed him.

The man should have died from the heat, but he merely shimmered and reappeared a distance away. Sayuri caught on to the fact that one of the eyes on his arm closed, indicating that he had used Izanagi.

Danzō smirked. "You're just wasting your time, Uchiha. Like I said before, I can bend reality."

Sayuri did not reply, and instead chose to withdraw a vial containing the eyeballs from Itachi she had extracted for security reasons. In a gruesome fashion, she reached into her right eye socket, pulling on the rectus muscles and then gouging the whole Mangekyō out.

Carefully, she deposited the eye to join her brother's in the vial which also stored liquid that preserved the powerful eyes. The Uchiha kept the vial and faced her opponent. "Try saying that again without relying on my clan's eyes."

She disappeared. Immediately, the Shimura was on guard but still it did not help him anticipate the incoming attack. She reappeared and planted a foot into his stomach, launching him into one of the rock slabs of Kamui's dimension. Upon impact, he shattered the rock, but the pain did not end as Sayuri fired off a few kunai in quick succession. Despite having only one eye, the Rinnegan itself was still powerful enough to compensate for the lack of depth perception most would face with only one eye.

He tried to roll aside, but as Sayuri's dōjutsu had already accounted for that, one of them buried itself into his chest. He coughed in pain, wheezing before his form flickered and he materialised further away.

Danzō weaved several seals and muttered, "Kai", which Sayuri noticed - the Izanagi had been released, probably because it was costing him too much chakra. He then grabbed a shuriken and pumped fūton chakra through it, transforming it into a giant, razor buzzsaw. The Uchiha charged at him just as he tossed the weapon at her, but she did not stop, only raising a hand to release a blast of chakra with the Tendō.

The shuriken reflected back along its original path, heading towards Danzō. The man flipped over it, but that was a terrible error as Sayuri closed the gap between them in that time and threw a fast punch to his head.

After temporarily disorientating him, she grabbed his arm and while yanking upwards, fired a kick at his shin. The man collasped onto one knee, enabling Sayuri to extract a Sharingan from the outstretched arm she was holding.

The Uchiha then leapt back and planted the eye into her socket, covering it with her right hand. Green energy glowed as medical chakra restored the link between the eye and her optic nerve.

Danzō gritted his teeth. "Give it up, Danzō. Your fate is in my hands," said Sayuri, "An eye for an eye."

"We'll see about that!" Danzō weaved hand seals to activate Izanagi before he drew blood to summon Baku - a large elephantine chimera that resembled a tapir. It opened its mouth, producing a powerful suction force that drew in the rocks around it.

Danzō performed a shunshin and appeared behind Sayuri as he weaved a sequence of hand seals. "Fūton: Shinkū Renpa (Wind Style: Vacuum Wave Barrage)!"

Inhaling sharply, the elder then launched a series of blades that sped up once they entered Baku's suction. Instantly, Sayuri's chakra flared and a purple skeleton manifested around her, blocking the assault from behind.

The girl formed the Horse hand seal. "Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku!" A stream of fire tore out of her mouth and expanded into a giant blastwave that became augmented by Baku's suction, engulfing the summon in an inferno. It dispelled in a burst of smoke.

Swiftly, she turned around and seized Danzō with a hand of Susanoo. Forcefully, the Uchiha compressed the elder and crushed him into bloody bits, eliciting screams of excruciating pain. The man shimmered and reappeared out of her grasp.

Checking his arm, he saw another eye close. Danzō gritted his teeth. "Give it up, Danzō. Your fate is in my hands," repeated Sayuri, "An eye for an eye."

The elder growled and charged at her. "We'll see about that!" yelled Danzō as he flashed through a sequence of hand seals, one that Sayuri recognised from before.

"Fūton: Shinkūgyoku!"

Air burst out of the elder's throat and struck her Susanoo swiftly, but it was for naught as it did nothing to degrade its integrity.

A bow and arrow formed in her avatar's hands, the latter of which she fired quickly at the man. Danzō leapt up to avoid the arrow, using the wind he was generating to propel himself upwards.

However, the Uchiha had already predicted this, and shifted behind him with Amenotejikara before snatching him out of the air with an armoured claw.

A sudden sense of déjà vu struck the man. "What is this?!" he roared just before he was crushed again.

The Shimura's Izanagi was triggered, and the man appeared again, unscathed but shaken. He looked down at his arm and gasped in shock upon seeing the same eye close again. "What is happening… that eye should have been permanently sealed by the Izanagi I used just now! Is this a genjutsu?" he thought.

Danzō formed two hand seals. "Kai!"

"It's meaningless. Give it up, Danzō. Your fate is in my hands," Sayuri stated.

"Shut up!" the elder shouted before he ran at her. "If this is a genjutsu, it will end if I kill her." Danzō lunged at her with a kick that she dodged. The Uchiha blocked the next punch, and retaliated only for Danzō to dispel in smoke.

The real elder burst out of the floor and stabbed Sayuri in her back. Momentarily, it seemed like his shadow clone plan was effective. That is, until she burst into a murder of crows that began to circle him.

Danzō stepped on a feather as he looked around, trying to find Sayuri. "This is the living memory of the man you killed. Feel his wrath," boomed Sayuri's voice.

Out of nowhere, Danzō was struck by a sword slash that severed his left arm and he was kicked away with great force. The man tumbled before rolling to a stop. He breathed harshly, clutching his bleeding stump.

"Izanagi," he uttered, and his left arm materialised.

"Well now, Danzō. What will you do? Give it up, your fate is in my hands."

"You brat!" the elder yelled before he got on his feet and pounced on Sayuri. "Die!" he screamed, plunging a kunai into her navel.

The Uchiha dispersed into crows that circled him again. "What…?" He stepped back in disbelief, crushing a black feather underfoot.

"This is the living memory of the man you killed. Feel his wrath."

For the second time, a flash of silver pierced through the black storm of crows. Pain shot through his being once his neurones relayed the sensation of folded steel cutting cleanly through flesh and bone.

This was followed up by another shot to his stomach that propelled him into a slab of rock. He sat up from the shattered rubble in agony, before using Izanagi to revert himself to his original state.

A quick look at his arm confirmed his fears. His eye had somehow been restored despite the use of Izanagi earlier. That meant that he was stuck in some sort of time loop.

"Damn you, Uchiha! What is this jutsu?" demanded Danzō. Sayuri didn't hide the triumphant smirk on her face.

"This is the jutsu designed to counter the Izanagi. It traps you in a loop forever until you learn to accept your fate. It is classified as a kinjutsu because it has an escape route built into it, but unfortunately for you, I have no intention of setting you free. Thus, I created this loop without any method of escape… that means the Izanagi is rendered useless as well. Prepare to experience pain until you die naturally in real life. This is my realm, far worse than my brother's Tsukuyomi and one of the Uchiha clan's most powerful genjutsu. This is Izanami," Sayuri declared. She then separated into a murder of crows which began to swarm around him.

"No... this can't be happening… no!" cried Danzō in horror as the black birds circled overhead, a mocking reminder of the shinobi he had used indiscriminately without regard for the consequences.

"You'll find that many things are possible when it comes to the Sharingan, Danzō. This is why you do not ever trifle with the Uchiha."

Reality

The Uchiha removed her blind right eye and replaced it with the healthy one from the vial. She then proceeded to extract all the Sharingan, including Shisui's Mangekyō from Danzō's immobilized body.

As she readjusted to her original eye, she pondered on her deadline. It was time to face him... and all she remembered was how she had wronged him. She didn't deserve him.

Sayuri sighed, shaking her head. Only time would tell; she would only worry herself like this. Now, she could only hope for the best.

Hokage Rock, Yondaime's Head

A lone figure sat atop the Fourth Hokage's Head in the windy night. Compared to the bustling night life below, it was peacefully quiet up here, precisely why it was his favourite spot.

The Uzumaki looked to the moon. That feeling he felt earlier... it was something that he had not felt in three years. He doubted himself, but at the same time, he truly wished that he had not been mistaken. It was the other half of the Rikudō Sennin's power. It was improbable, yet unmistakable-

His breath hitched as her chakra suddenly registered on his sensory range, approaching him quickly.

A shadow fell on the surface of the rock and grew bigger by the second, just before Sayuri landed next to him.

Naruto got to his feet. "Sayu-"

The Uchiha threw her arms around him, cutting him off abruptly. He fell silent once he sensed the negative emotions dwelling in her being - fear and uncertainty. Even without his power, he could tell from the wetness on his shoulder. She was crying.

"Ta-Tadaima," Sayuri managed to choke out between sobs.

Naruto smiled gently. "Okaeri," he whispered as he wrapped his arms around her, reciprocating the embrace. "I really missed you."

The Uchiha was surprised that he had not broken the hug yet given what she had done to him. Like how fresh cookies on a baking tray warmed oven mitts, his warmth enveloped her, inducing an inexplicable sense of comfort.

"What's wrong, Sayuri-chan?" the Uzumaki asked as he rubbed her back soothingly. "I'm so sorry... I'm sorry for everything I did. I'm sorry for hurting you. I was wrong… My revenge led to nothing, except the death of the brother who loved me. I was so foolish. I don't even deserve this. I don't deserve-"

Naruto suddenly gripped her shoulders and made him face her. He placed his right finger on her soft lips, startling her.

"Sayuri-chan, the only you thing you never deserved was the burden placed on you. No one should have to take such a huge load on their shoulders alone… I'm here to help you, to be with you every step of the way. And rest assured, I know why you did what you did. It wasn't your fault, but Indra's. What matters is that you're here with me now... and I'll always be here for you." With those words, he sensed her anxiety ebbing away.

She smiled gratefully as her cheeks flushed with blood into a rosy red. "And I'm here to stay. Thank you, Naruto-kun. I don't know what I did to deserve your love, but know that I love you too with every fibre of my being. Thank you for always being there for me, for accepting me even after everything I did."

Naruto brought his hand to her beautiful face and wiped off a tear with his thumb. "Please don't cry, Sayuri-chan… you look better with a smile on your face."

Sayuri's lips turned up in spite of her tears, before it transformed into a full blown laugh. "Only for you."

Then she paused, and took a step back. "I suppose it's now my turn to ask... I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and for you to be the first and last thing I see each day. Will you marry me?" proposed Sayuri, the hopeful tone in her voice evident.

The Uzumaki laughed aloud, causing her to falter. Then her expression turned to one of annoyance. "What's so fun-"

He grabbed her arm and pulled the girl he loved towards him. Naruto leaned in, and captured her lips with his own in nothing but pure affection. Sayuri was caught off guard and blushed even harder than before, but eventually pressed back with as much fiery passion as Naruto.

He pulled away. "I believe you have your answer, Uchiha Sayuri."

"Uzumaki Sayuri," she corrected playfully. Naruto chuckled. "When will the wedding be?"

"Hmm… as soon as possible," the girl replied, "We'll have to inform the Council tomorrow morning for them to lift the CRA."

The blond waved his hand dismissively. "Let's worry about that tomorrow. For now… do you want me to show you around the Uzumaki compound?"

Sayuri nodded eagerly. "Follow me," said Naruto, who proceeded to leap off the rock face and land on the nearest rooftop.

The air shifted as Sayuri entered the space next to him with her dōjutsu. The Uzumaki pouted. "I forgot you could do that nifty little trick."

Sayuri shrugged, then followed him as he weaved through the winding streets of Konohagakure.

Uzumaki Compound

"Here we are," announced Naruto, gesturing his hands at the comfy looking residence. "Do me a favour, and press your finger on this seal," requested Naruto as he flashed through a sequence of hand seals.

She did as asked, guessing that the Uzumaki was adding her fingerprint to the seal so that she would be able to do enter the compound at will.

The gate unlocked with a whir of mechanisms, and swung open. "Come." Naruto ushered her onto the stony path that led to the front door of his house. The two storey residence was unassuming, and was smaller than the Uchiha compound; however, upon entry, it was admittedly more cosy and had a warm vibe to it.

The Uzumaki gave her a tour of the house, which was well-equipped with many facilities. Naruto then brought her back to the living room and sat her down on the large sofa.

"Would you like tea?" asked the blond. Sayuri nodded, and watched patiently as her fiancé went to prepare it in the kitchenette.

Things were progressing well so far and it was far better than she had expected. Far better than she deserved, she thought with a slight tinge of guilt. It faded away as soon as she remembered what Naruto had said earlier, but she doubted she could ever get rid of it totally.

"Ne, Sayuri…" started Naruto, gaining her attention as he set the teacups down. "How were the past three years? I've heard many things about you but I think it'd be more interesting to here it straight from you."

The Uchiha took a sip from her cup, and replied, "Well as I'm sure you heard, I became famous as Konoha no Raijin soon after I left. I journeyed to Nami and rented a house from Tazuna."

Naruto's interest was piqued. To think that she actually returned there...

"The house became somewhat of a base, and I carried out my training around there. Every week or so, I would take one or more assignments to hunt down nukenin and earn some money to sustain myself. I became renown for my lightning techniques, and my reputation kept the bandits away from Nami so the people were happy about it too."

"I even taught Inari some basic taijutsu, and I was sort of like an adoptive sister, I suppose? Anyways, Shinho Akeba heard of my exploits and saw that my sword was getting worn, so he offered to replace it with the Tenpenchii," recounted Sayuri as she grasped the sword fondly.

"Recently, I fought in the Bloodline Rebellion of Kiri and tested myself against ten thousand loyalists. At the end, I was about to assist in the fight against the Yondaime Mizukage when an Uchiha used Kamui to absorb him into his dimension... and based on what you said before, I concluded that he was from the Akatsuki."

Naruto nodded. "What happened next?"

"Well, I decided to pursue members of the Akatsuki to locate my brother, and upon cashing in one of my bounties, I chanced upon Kakuzu and Hidan. I took them out with the Ningendō ability of my Rinnegan, which allowed me to read their memories. That's how I found out that the Akatsuki was based in Amegakure, and that my brother would be returning from Iwagakure with the Yonbi jinchūriki. After I found him, he led me to the old Uchiha hideout, where I forced him to overuse the Mangekyō, then sucked out his soul with my Human Path. That was when I discovered the truth of the matter." The thought of his sacrifice nearly brought tears to her eyes, but she suppressed it.

The Uzumaki was alarmed, realising that this was a sensitive topic for her. "We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to, Sayuri-chan."

"It's okay... I think you should know. My clan had been planning a coup against the government, and my brother was on Konoha's side. He had originally planned to use Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, but Danzō issued an ultimatum and forced him to kill my whole clan except for me. While he was at it, Itachi enlisted the help of whom he believed to be Uchiha Madara, in exchange for the latter not destroying the village. Of course, I know that he couldn't possibly have been the real Madara as Indra's chakra could not exist in two incarnates at once."

Naruto's eyes widened, recalling his parents' words to him years ago. "I met my parents during the unsealing of the Hakke Fūin... they told me that a masked man with the Sharingan had attacked the village, and Kurama confirmed that the Uchiha in question was not Madara but was impersonating him. I think we're talking about the same person here."

"I see… he's certainly a dangerous man. We should warn the Hokage tomorrow," said Sayuri.

"Agreed."

"So, how about you? What did you do in the last three years?" the Uchiha questioned.

"Nothing much really... I just used the time difference between Myōbokuzan and the Human Realm to extend my training to thirteen years, and focused quite a bit on mastering ninjutsu, taijutsu and fūinjutsu. Until now I still haven't been very adept at genjutsu," admitted Naruto sheepishly.

"Thirteen years? I look forward to a spar," Sayuri said.

Naruto laughed. "Alright then, deal!" He yawned, and continued, "It's getting late, let's go to sleep Sayuri-chan. But before I forget…"

He brought her to the study, where he retrieved the engagement ring he had gotten her years ago. "I was hoping to be able to give it to you one day, and it seems like today is the day," said Naruto with a smile as he lifted her hand and slipped the ring on his fiancée's finger.

Sayuri beamed at the beautiful annulus on her ring finger. He had clearly put a lot of thought into selecting its design, given the elaborate arrangement of the diamonds and tasteful colour scheme.

Then he began to unravel the black and red braided cord on his wrist, before she stopped him. "I'd like you to keep it... as a sign that I'll always be with you."

The Uchiha pecked Naruto's cheek. "Thank you, Whiskers-kun." The Uzumaki blushed, and momentarily lost track of his thoughts.

"Umm… for the sleeping arrangements... I hope you don't mind..." Naruto trailed off with an embarrassed look on his face.

Sayuri smirked. "Sleeping with you? It's alright, we're bound to do that anyways as future husband and wife."

Naruto's already red cheeks turned scarlet and his tips of his ears became hot at the insinuation. "Sleeping together in the same bed," the Uchiha corrected in amusement. "Though not that I mind the former," she continued with a wink, before leaving the study and the stunned blond for the comfort of the master bedroom.

"Wh-Wha-"

Mindscape

"HAHAHAHA!!!" Kurama roared, sharing in the hearty laughter of Asura at his incarnate's situation. Asura was happy that Naruto had finally found love, and it seemed that his commitment had turned the girl around successfully to conquer the influence of his brother. For now, the Will of Fire had triumphed.

Master Bedroom

Sayuri undressed and took a bath in the connected bathroom, allowing herself some time to relax in the heat of the water which served to reduce the fatigue in her muscles.

As her mind became more relaxed, her thoughts drifted to the comfort of the environment. It was the first time in quite a while that she felt at home; and not just a physical house, but also the concept of belonging attached to it. She smiled as the steam rose around her.

The Uchiha girl believed she would really enjoy family life, being Naruto's wife and tending to their children. At the same time, her love for battle would probably never dull; she was still a kunoichi through and through.

For now, she would have to be content with what she had before her, and really, there was no reason not to be grateful for what she had. After all, it was everything she had ever wanted. A family. If she had to renounce the Uchiha name, then so be it. Her clan was as good as dead anyways, though their blood would still flow through her offspring.

Sayuri stepped out of the bathtub and dried her hair, before slipping into a slightly revealing kimono which she normally wore to sleep.

The girl left the bathroom and headed towards the bed, where Naruto was already seated reading a manual on fūinjutsu. His shirt was off, so this time it was her turn to blush at his well-developed body.

The Uzumaki noticed her approach and set the book aside on his nightstand. "Did I ever tell you this, Sayuri-chan? You look beautiful with your hair down."

"Really?" The Uchiha crawled onto the bed in a manner that might've been considered seductive in a different context, her flowing locks hanging down on her night dress as she drew closer to Naruto.

"Well…" She placed a finger on the midline of his abdominals, then slowly traced upwards past his navel and pectorals, before sliding up past his neck and poking him in the forehead. "You are handsome too, darling," Sayuri teased with a wink.

With an amused smile, she turned on her side and pulled the sheets up to her chest, closing her eyes.

Naruto's head was about to explode. A primal instinct had surged through him in those moments, and he was certain that he knew what it was. Oh Kami-sama, how was he to survive for long with this teasing wife-to-be of his?

Then, a sudden thought entered his mind, manifesting as a smirk because he had just found a way to retaliate.

The Uzumaki slid under the covers and snaked his hands around her stomach, which she responded to similarly, mutually sharing their warmth in the cool air of the night.

"Oyasumi, Whiskers-kun."

"Oyasumi, Tofu-chan~"

Sayuri almost yelped as the blond gave her soft cheek a gentle squeeze. If she had been affected by his new affectionate name for her, she dared not show it.

The Next Morning

Naruto's eyelids lifted as the warmth of dawn enveloped him. With sudden alarm, he sat up, realising that the bed was empty except him. Yesterday had seemed so surreal… had it all beem a dream?

He calmed down as soon as he caught the scent of breakfast. The Uzumaki grabbed the blanket and quickly folded it, eager for the meal awaiting him.

Naruto descended the stairs. In the kitchen, Sayuri was making onigiri. Noticing his approach, the Uchiha turned and smiled cheerfully at him.

"Ohayo," she greeted.

"Ohayo, Sayuri-chan!"

Naruto brushed his teeth and sat himself at the table. Sayuri proceeded to deliver the platter carrying the rice balls.

"It's been a long while since I last tasted your food... I could never find onigiri as good as yours anywhere else," remarked Naruto as he dug in.

"Well, that's what I hoped to achieve by making this today," replied Sayuri as she picked up her own pair of chopsticks.

Naruto sighed in happiness. "Thank you for the food."

"You're welcome," Sayuri responded courteously, causing Naruto to start laughing.

"What is it?"

"Nothing... it's just how we're being so formal for no reason at all," replied the Uzumaki. Sayuri smiled in nostalgia. This was how it was like back in her childhood... the Uchiha clan adhered strongly to traditions much like the Hyūga clan, and everything followed formality to the letter.

"And how you're so different from before," Naruto continued. The Uchiha knew what he meant.

"I'm sorry Naruto-kun. All those times I called you a loser in the Academy days... I really hated myself for doing it."

Naruto placed a comforting hand on hers. "It's alright… you've said before why you did it. I'm just glad that you're back to your old self."

The Uchiha sighed. "My blind thirst for vengeance had changed me, for better or for worse. But don't worry... the only thing that has never changed from then till now is my love for you."

Naruto smiled, before picking up an onigiri and offering it to her. It was incredibly cute to watch her hesitate before biting off part of the rice ball.

"I love you too, Sayuri-hime. That too, will never change." He popped the remaining half of the rice ball into his mouth and set his chopsticks down on the platter. He then took all the utensils to the sink. "I'll wash up."

Sayuri said, "I'll be shopping for some clothes, my current one is getting worn out."

With that, she disappeared in a flash of blue. Naruto shook his head in amusement as he continued to clean the dishes.

Council Chambers, Noon

"The Council is now in session," declared the Godaime Hokage. As with yesterday, all the councillors - civilian and shinobi alike - were gathered. The two shinobi that had been summoned sat at the opposite end of the table on chairs that had been brought in.

Naruto was dressed in a white hoodie and black trousers with an accompanying black coat. It was a smart casual attire, just as Sayuri had advised for the meeting as he trusted her fashion sense more than his own.

The Uchiha herself had chosen to wear a long- sleeved periwinkle blouse paired with a black skirt. Her hair, gathered in a ponytail, was also kept out of her eyes, revealing her soulful black pupils.

The atmosphere was one of anticipation for the proceedings as many were curious about what would become of the two clan scions.

Tsunade cleared her throat. "So, what is the plan that you two have come up with?"

Naruto looked at his fiancée, and she nodded while giving his hand an assuring squeeze. "We wish to invoke Clause 14 of the Clan Restoration Act, which states that should two clan heads be married, whether one or both are under the CRA, both parties involved will be exempt from the Act."

Many eyebrows were raised. The Uzumaki was marrying the last Uchiha? Inevitably, hushed murmurs broke out in the room.

Tsunade seemed to deliberate for a moment, but it wasn't hard to decide. "Alright then. For Sayuri, it is clear that you deserve the chūnin rank given your participation in the Bloodline Rebellion. As for Naruto, Jiraiya has been monitoring your progress during the three years, and your performance in the recent Kazekage rescue has been outstanding; I've decided that you too should be a chūnin as recognition of your abilities. Congratulations."

The Council clapped politely as the two bowed their heads. "Since this is the case, both of you will be considered as heads of your respective clans. I hereby accept your proposed matrimonial union, and declare you both exempt from the Clan Restoration Act. Both of you now share a single seat in this Council, and you are required to send one representative to attend any session of the Council."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama." This received applause mostly from the shinobi side as it meant that more power had been displaced from the civilian's hands.

"Alright, is there any further business to discuss?" asked Tsunade.

"Hai Tsunade-sama, I believe the next issue is of extreme importance," said Sayuri, perking the interest of the whole Council. "… it is a shinobi affair."

The Hokage cleared her throat. "The civilian councillors are hereby dismissed," Tsunade declared much to their chagrin. Begrudgingly, they stood up and filed out of the chambers.

"As I was saying, the threat the village faces… it isn't new. Let's put it this way - I'm not the last Uchiha," Sayuri said. Confusion was written on the faces of many of the clan heads.

"What do you mean, Sayuri-san?" spoke the normally silent Aburame Shibi.

"A kinsman of mine, possessing the Mangekyō Sharingan, captured the Yondaime Mizukage during the recent Bloodline Rebellion. He is likely to be the same person who impersonated Uchiha Madara and launched an attack on the village by manipulating the Kyūbi 16 years ago," the Uchiha explained.

"The pattern here is that in both instances, the people he attacked were jinchūriki. From our sources, his plan is the same as the Akatsuki's - to collect all nine bijū in the Elemental Nations to restore the Jūbi and cast the Mugen Tsukuyomi upon the world, enslaving the masses in an endless dream. While we have not established his identity, it would be hardly surprising if he was in the Akatsuki," said Naruto.

Yamanaka Inoichi raised a question. "Are the methods they use to capture and collect the bijū known?"

Sayuri nodded. "This is another disturbing thought. Naruto encountered the Gedō Mazō during the rescue of the Kazekage. It is the empty shell of the Jūbi with all its chakra split into the nine tailed beasts, and it is only accessible to users of the Rinnegan like myself."

Nara Shikaku's eyes widened. "That is dangerous indeed. To think that another Rinnegan user exists, and that he is in the Akatsuki..."

Tsunade said, "So how do you propose we combat this threat?"

"I suggest that we journey across the nations and warn their jinchūriki of the impending danger to prevent them from resurrecting the Jūbi," said Naruto. He felt very strongly about this, especially since he was friends with Gaara and Fū and the former had already died once due to the Akatsuki. He did not want another jinchūriki to die in the hands of that mercenary organisation.

"Such a mission could take a month or two to complete... by which time they probably would've obtained the remaining bijū, assuming there are any left except the Kyūbi," Hiashi Hyūga pointed out.

"I could use my Rinnegan to summon the statue and determine how many bijū have not been gathered, then we can alert the other jinchūriki more efficiently," Sayuri offered, "And at the same time, we could gather a team to strike the Akatsuki first."

"Alright then, how fast can you complete the summoning and report back?" asked Tsunade.

"Give me twenty minutes, Hokage-sama."

The Godaime nodded and dismissed Naruto and Sayuri from the Council Chambers.

Uzumaki Compound Training Ground

"Musekiyōjin (Six Crimson Ray Formation)!"

The black receivers that Naruto fashioned out of Gūdo Dama were distributed in a hexagonal array. Each flared with red chakra that shot into the sky, erecting a massive barrier which implied the expected size of what Sayuri was about to summon. One could never be too careful when it came to the Ten Tails.

The Uzumaki nodded to his fiancée, whose hands shifted to the Reverse Ram hand seal. Her Rinnegan emanated a periwinkle glow as she exerted much chakra to call on the powers of the Outer Path.

"Kuchiyose: Gedō Mazō!"

For a moment, all was silent and she wondered if her jutsu had failed. Without warning, a large column of smoke billowed into the air, mimicking the mushroom cloud of an atomic bomb.

When it cleared, a colossal entity even larger than Kurama appeared in its place. Though it was stationary, it looked menacing with its decayed, earthen-coloured humanoid form. Shackles locked its arms and legs, and eight of its nine eyes glowed with an eerie blue light.

Sayuri exhaled a breath she didn't even know she was holding. The Uchiha then signalled for the blond to check the statue.

Naruto closed his eyes and activated his sensory technique. With shock, his eyes flew open.

"What is it?" asked Sayuri.

"I sensed eight distinct presences..." Naruto muttered in disbelief. His fiancée's eyes widened.

"That means-"

The Uchiha was interrupted by an intense, bright flash of white light that enveloped the whole village. Suddenly, a high pitched sound that she was all too familiar with rung out, followed by the distinct rumbling of infrastructure getting torn down and thrown into disarray in the distance though the sound grew louder by the second.

As the ground shook, Sayuri's heart sank as she recognised the jutsu responsible for this.

"There's only one tailed beast left, Naruto-kun, and this is the Shinra Tensei..."

"…They've come for you."

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the long wait, but my hiatus ends here! Many of you have waited patiently for the past two months, and I hope that y'all have been satisfied as I put much thought into this chapter, even rewriting it. On that note, I also rewrote Chapter 1 so do give it a read if you'd like! Once again, apologies for the long hiatus and thank you for continuing to support this story. Rate and review :)

Until tomorrow,

Ja Ne


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